A shocking video is being circulated on social media of a 10-year-old girl being attacked by two lions at a Chinese zoo after she was allowed into a forbidden area of the zoo to feed the animals.
The incident took place at the in Shantou Zhongshan Park Zoo in Guangdong, China, on Thursday. The clip shows the young girl attempting to offer the lions food through the lion enclosure when the lioness pounced on her, thrusting its giant paw through a gap in the bars of the cage and grabbing her leg.
The young girl started screaming as a zookeeper grabbed her and desperately tried to pull her away, as another lion also tried to reach through and grab her. The zookeeper eventually used a metal rod to bash away the big cat's paw as it clung to her pants, eventually freeing the girl after a terrifying 30-second tussle.
Local media reported that the zoo had opened an investigation into the incident. It found that the zookeeper had taken the girl into the designated safety buffer zone to feed the lioness, despite her being too young to take part.
It was also not the first time the keeper had allowed visitors into a restricted area to feed animals. He has since been suspended and reassigned.
Zoo officials believe the lioness attacked because the girl had meat in her hand, according to the report. The girl was hospitalized with minor leg injuries and discharged after getting a rabies vaccination.
The zoo, known for its interactive animal-feeding sessions, has been closed temporarily to prevent a repeat attack. Officials have also begun a broader review of the safety protocols and management practices.
