The endangered species was originally part of the ceremony.
On Monday, the Olympic torch passed through Manaus on its journey to the Olympic Games.
As part of the visit, the torch passed through a military training camp and the army brought out a jaguar from their zoo as part of the ceremony.
It was seen as a photo opportunity but things were to take a tragic turn.
The animal escaped its handlers, and despite being shot initially with tranquillisers, was shot dead by a soldier. The sedatives had not worked quickly enough and the jaguar had threatened a vet.
The jaguar, a 17-year-old female named Juma, had been raised since it was a cub and was kept in a military run zoo in the Amazon with six siblings.
“We made a mistake in permitting the Olympic torch, a symbol of peace and unity, to be exhibited alongside a chained wild animal. This image goes against our beliefs and our values,” the local organizing committee Rio 2016 said in a statement.
“We guarantee that there will be no more such incidents at Rio 2016.”
The military has opened an investigation into the incident.
The jaguar is classified as an endangered species by the Brazilian government.
Main image via Portal Mazonia.
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