Man's attempt to pet lion ends in near-disaster, terrifying video goes viral

In a stark reminder of the dangers posed by wild animals, a viral video has been making waves on social media, showing a man's ill-fated attempt to pet a captive lion. The incident, which was shared on the micro-blogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter) two days ago, underscores the unpredictable nature of apex predators, even when they appear tame.

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The footage captures a man inside a cage with the lion, which was restrained by a leash. Despite the apparent control, the man's decision to approach and pet the lion quickly turned disastrous. The lion reacted aggressively, pouncing on the man and causing him to scream in terror. Another individual in the cage managed to intervene and restrain the lion, allowing the man to escape unharmed but undoubtedly shaken.

The video has since gone viral, eliciting a wide range of reactions from social media users. Many were unsurprised by the outcome, emphasizing the inherent risks of interacting with wild animals. Comments ranged from expressing relief that the man survived to humorously highlighting the obvious nature of the danger.

One user quipped, "His soul went to heaven and did a handshake with Yamraj!" referring to the Hindu deity of death. Another commented, "Did you expect something else? Obviously, the lion would have attacked the man. It’s a wild cat—WILD. He is lucky he is alive or not severely injured."

Other reactions were more analytical, pointing out the lion's behavior. "You see it’s jumping and going for his neck. That’s not playing. When a cat goes for the neck, it wants to kill you not trying to cuddle. Just need a swing of its 10 times stronger paw or a mild bite on the neck would be enough. Idiots," wrote one user.

Another user humorously added, "I’d have a heart attack right there man, would’ve made it so easy for him to eat me."