Black leopard mauls man who paid to have pictures taken

DAVIE, FL (AP) — Wildlife officials say a captive black leopard mauled a man in a backyard zoo in South Florida.

WPLG reports the man paid $150 for a “full contact experience” with the black leopard, which allowed him to play with it and take pictures.

A report by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says the incident happened Aug. 31 in Davie, which is near Fort Lauderdale.

The agency charged the owner with allowing full contact with an extremely dangerous animal and was cited for maintaining captive wildlife in an unsafe condition.

The TV station says the man’s injuries were so severe he required multiple surgeries.