The female jaguar, named Juma, escaped the chains around her neck moments after being a few feet away from the Olympic torch, which was at a zoo adjacent to a military training center.
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The animal was shot with tranquilizers, and then was killed with one shot by a member of the army after it allegedly came close to attacking a soldier.
The killing of Juma led to a backlash by animal rights activists, including a local organizing committee for Rio 2016, which released the following statement:
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“We made a mistake in permitting the Olympic torch, a symbol of peace and unity, to be exhibited alongside a chained wild animal,” the statement read. “This image goes against our beliefs and our values. We guarantee that there will be no more such incidents at Rio 2016.”
