“I Would Be the Fastest”: Rangers Flee As Lion Wakes Up From Sedation, SA Astonished

• A group of South African rangers got the fright of their lives when a sedated lion began waking up during a transfer
• Bloem Jagters/Hunters shared the video on Facebook, showing the team scrambling to safety as the lion stirred on the stretcher
• South Africans online were equal parts terrified and amused by the rangers' speedy exit

A group of South African rangers had a heart-stopping moment on 7 July 2026 when a sedated lion began to come round while being carried on a stretcher during a transfer operation. The video, shared by Facebook page Bloem Jagters/Hunters, shows the team handling what should have been a routine procedure.

When a routine job turns dangerous

As the heavily sedated lion began to stir, the rangers wasted no time. Everyone scattered at speed, leaving the groggy big cat behind. Wildlife handling operations rely on precise sedation timing, but animals do not always follow the script. A lion partially waking up during a transfer is every ranger's worst nightmare, and this team found that out firsthand.

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Watch the Facebook reel below:

Mzansi reacts to the wild escape

South Africans in the comments on the Bloem Jagters/Hunters post had plenty to say, but nobody blamed the rangers for running. When a lion opens its eye, no job title in the world is worth standing still.

User @Bloem Jagters/Hunters wrote:

"This is when you wake up a sleeping lion? And why is the cameraman always the fastest guy? 🤣😂"

User @Elmo van Schalkwyk joked:

"’n Paar ekstra onderbroeke word nou benodig (A few extra pairs of underpants are needed now)."

User @Anneke Rothner shared:

"Try being on the back of the bakkie 80 km/h, monitoring his breathing, and he partially wakes up. I was ready to jump; I had one leg over the side, ready to tuck and roll. I'd rather fall than be eaten.

User @John Koopman said:

"Want die kameraman hou altyd by die reëls, 50 meter veilige afstand (Because the cameraman always sticks to the rules, 50 meters safe distance)."

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User @Margaret Siebert added:

"Ek sal ook die vinnigste wees (I would also be the fastest),"

3 Briefly News lion-related articles

• A tourist visiting the Kruger National Park was unhappy after he was issued a R2,500 fine for disobeying the park's rules by stepping out of his car.
• 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 charged towards him, causing him to drop the camera on the ground.

Source: Briefly News