A lion attacked a young girl who was feeding it at a zoo. The 10-year-old was seen giving food to the lion through the cage when the animal suddenly reached through the bars, grabbing her trouser leg and pulling her towards it.
The girl screamed in terror as a zookeeper quickly intervened, tightly grabbing her and attempting to free her from the lion’s grasp. Using a metal rod, the keeper jabbed at the lion to make it release its hold. After a struggle that lasted about thirty seconds, he successfully rescued the girl from the lion at Shantou Zhongshan Park Zoo in Guangdong, China.
According to local reports, the zookeeper had taken the girl into a restricted safety area to feed the lioness, despite her being underage for such activities. Following the incident, the zookeeper was suspended and reassigned.
Zoo staff speculated that the lioness reacted aggressively upon seeing meat in the girl’s hand. The girl sustained minor leg abrasions and was taken to the hospital for evaluation. After receiving a rabies vaccination, she left with her parents, who reportedly did not blame the zoo for the incident.
As a precaution, the zoo, known for its interactive animal feeding experiences, was temporarily closed to prevent any similar occurrences.
