After watching this horrifying viral video, it’s not surprising that lions rule the jungle.
In an unexpected change of events, a lioness sprang to save the keeper during the heart-stopping moment as families gathered around an enclosure and a lion suddenly lashed out at him.
Unsurprisingly, the Reddit re-post of the animal attack has caused it to go viral, with viewers in disbelief at how rapidly events take a catastrophic turn.
Warning: The below video may be distressing to some viewers
Two zookeepers can be seen in the footage in the lion’s pen, where a male and female lion appear to be resting comfortably on the ground.
The other keeper, though, continues to watch the male lion, a near-fatal error.
The camera then pans away before quickly returning as tourists nearby scream and the lion charges the keeper after making eye contact with him.
Unbelievably, the large cat succeeds in dragging him to the ground while attempting to snare his leg.
However, the lioness’ swift actions finally save them and enable both men to escape unharmed. His colleague comes over to try to help.
Rushing over, she knocks her mate to the ground and chews at his tail as he stands up. Eventually, she manages to get between her mate and the zookeepers, steering him away from them till he storms off, looking rather displeased.
It was an immediate and effective response that very well could have saved at least one of the men’s lives.
People’s reactions to the viral video, which is believed to have been shot in a Las Vegas hotel, have been quite strong since it reappeared.
Redditors were quick to take the side of the lion, with one writing: “His posture, his body language. It says ‘Challenge’ and the lion took it as such.
“I won’t say he deserves to die, but I believe the lion should be forgiven, and the man never allowed in an enclosure with a wild animal again.”
Another added: “Dude was staring down the lion. Don’t stare wild animals in the eyes. It’s never not a threat.”
A third took aim at the zoo itself, saying: “No zoo in their right mind would let workers or anyone be that close to lions. These people are obviously not trained properly in animal care.”
Others saw the funny side of it, however, with one commenter quipping: “I think I heard the lioness say ‘I can’t take you anywhere’.
Well, it’s they weren’t lying about the dangers of entering the lion’s den.
