10-Year-Old Girl Almost Mauled by Lion While People Watch and Record

• A 10-year-old girl was nearly mauled by a lion while feeding the animal during a zoo visit, with the incident captured on video
• The footage shows the child being grabbed by the lion before family members intervened and pulled her to safety
• The incident has raised concern over visitor behaviour, with onlookers filming instead of immediately assisting

A disturbing incident at a zoo shared by @thesun o 28 June 2026 showed a 10-year-old girl narrowly escaping a lion attack after the animal grabbed her while she was feeding it during a visit. The moment, captured on video and circulated online, shows the child coming into close contact with the lion inside or near its enclosure before the animal suddenly lunges and makes contact with her.

Family members are then seen rushing in and pulling the girl away from the lion, preventing what could have become a fatal attack. The footage has drawn attention not only because of the near-tragedy, but also due to the behaviour of bystanders who were recording the incident as it unfolded instead of immediately intervening.

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Close encounter turns dangerous

According to reports linked to the video, the child was feeding the lion at the time of the incident when the animal reacted and grabbed her. The situation escalated within seconds before relatives were able to physically intervene and remove her from danger. The girl survived the encounter, but it left many stunned that people recorded the encounter and could not help.

Incidents involving direct feeding or close contact with wild animals have long been flagged as high-risk, even in regulated facilities. Lions, in particular, remain unpredictable and can react instinctively to movement, noise or food stimuli. Zoos typically enforce strict barriers and feeding restrictions to prevent such encounters, and any breach of these rules can place visitors at serious risk.

Wild animals, even those living in zoos or wildlife parks, retain their natural instincts and can react unpredictably to movement, food or unfamiliar behaviour. Visitors should only feed animals when it is specifically permitted by the facility and under the supervision of trained staff. Safety barriers and designated feeding areas are in place to protect both people and animals, and visitors are advised never to reach through enclosures, get too close, or attempt to touch or feed dangerous species outside of authorised experiences. Following zoo safety rules is essential to reducing the risk of serious injury.

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3 Other Briefly News stories about lions

• A dramatic video captured the moment a man nearly lost his hand after a caged lioness lunged at him during a feeding session.
• A lion that escaped from Mkhuze Falls Private Game Reserve in northern KwaZulu-Natal has been put down after officials failed to dart it safely.
• Rhodes University issued a bizarre statement regarding a lion roaming the campus, clarifying that the animal is actually a high-tech project named RhoLeo 3.0.

Source: Briefly News