“They Are Panic Hunters”: Man Avoids Lions’ Attack by Walking Backwards During a Face-Off, SA Wowed
- A brave man escaped a dangerous encounter with two lions by remaining calm and walking backwards without breaking eye contact
- The intense footage was shared on X, leaving viewers breathless and in awe of the man's survival instincts
- Social media users debated the lions' behaviour, with many suggesting that the predators were hesitant to attack because the man showed no signs of panic
Source: Getty Images
Astounding footage from a wilderness standoff captured the rare moment a human faced off against the kings of the jungle, and lived to tell the tale.
The viral clip taken at a local game reserve was shared by X user @TheFigen_ on 7 May 2026, where it reached many views and hundreds of comments from social media users who were in awe of the encounter.
The man was filmed in the bushes around two lions that were staring at him. He carefully walked backwards in a slow manner while maintaining direct eye contact. The man in X user @TheFigen_'s video remained calm and fearless as he faced danger head-on.
How to survive a lion encounter
If you meet a lion in the wild, you must stay calm and never run away. Running can make the lion think you are prey and chase you. According to Headed to Africa, you should stand your ground, make yourself look large, and speak in a loud, firm voice. It is also very important to keep eye contact while slowly backing away to safety. By showing no fear and moving carefully, you give the animal space to leave without feeling the need to attack.
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Watch the X video below:
SA discuss the lions' behaviour
The post reached nearly 1M views and hundreds of comments from social media users who debated the bush scene. Many viewers explained that lions were panic hunters. They said that once the predators suspect that a person is not scared of them, they may be hesitant to approach them. Some explained that, unlike other predators, lions don't hunt prey when they are not hungry, arguing that this is one of the reasons they are called kings of the jungle. One viewer suspected that the lions were not hungry, saying that if they were, they would have come for him while he was facing them.
Source: Getty Images
User @CMichael1011 said:
"I still don't know why lions are called kings of the jungle."
User @EweduOfIbad added:
"They are panic hunters. They sense when you are scared and capitalise on it. If at any time he still attacks without your back turned, just fight. There's a chance you might survive when you put up a fight rather than running."
User @WilliambenGreat shared:
"Lions with pride, it’s because they are not hungry. When a lion is hungry, forget the front or the back, it will attack you and eat you well."
User @FootballMe21 commented:
"Yes, actually, lions are very shy (I know it's unbelievable, lol), so when you face one on one, your best chance of escaping has always been eye contact. This makes you look bigger and unafraid in their view."
User @_tomi24 asked:
"What if there's another one behind you?"
User @bitterfaqs explained:
"There are multiple reasons why lions are the kings of the jungle, and tigers are not. Firstly, there is their adaptability. They have no real enemies and have leadership qualities. They don't hunt prey if they are not hungry!"
3 Briefly News articles about lions
- A dramatic video captured the moment a man nearly lost his hand after a caged lion lunged at him during a feeding session, sparking a massive online debate.
- A private game reserve owner who lives in a house with two massive lions went inside their cage to feed them, shocking many social media users.
- A wildlife-loving man was filming a lion at a game reserve when it came charging towards him, causing him to drop the camera on the ground.
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Source: Briefly News
