A tourist has filmed the shocking moment he decided to pat a wild lion out of the window of a four-wheeled drive while on safari.
Video of the incident, reportedly filmed in the Serengeti, shows the tourists stopped in a jeep with lionesses and male lions lazing around the vehicle, most likely just making use of the shade it provided.
The brave tourist attempted to touch the lion only to be met with the predator’s fangs and a ferocious roar, but even that somehow did not seem to scare him.
As a result, a terrified passenger yelped “close the window”, while another passenger rushed over to slide the window shut.
According to The Sun, South African safari ranger Naas Smit said: “Only those who work in the wild know the speed of a lion and it could have torn the arm off the person touching it.”
“It would have the power to pull that tourist straight out of that window and kill them instantly in front of their friends,” he said.
“It was an incredibly stupid thing to do.
“It could also just have easily crashed its way through the open window and torn into those inside.
“They were lucky to get away with it; they are wild animals.
“If the lion had killed this person then game rangers would probably have had to have killed it and if it was the pride male it could have serious consequences.”
“I just have to shake my head when I see people behaving like this and they deserve all they get” he added.
Check out footage of the incident here:
