Being Attacked by Lions
Lions rarely attack humans. Most of the noted attacks have only been as a result of aggravation or starvation. Attacks do happen however, and those who are unprepared rarely come off well. This guide documents the best practices to avoid lion attack and have incident free safaris
Always make sure you are aware of your surroundings. It is very difficult to know if you are encroaching on a lion’s territory but there are usually lion prides close to safari holidays resorts and lions can sometimes have very large territories so it’s a safe bet to assume you are.
It is a lot safer to be among tree rather than out in the plains as lions do not like hunting were there is think undergrowth or obstacles that they risk injuring themselves on. For this reason you should try to stick to areas of high plant growth and only venture a short distance from decent cover. Another advanatge is that you should try to stay close to the trees as lions are very poor climbers and probably would not bother following you.
If you spot lion in the wild do not approach under any circumstances. If the lion is not aware you are they you should move in the opposite direction briskly. Do not start to dash quickly if you see a lion as it may end up spotting you and chasing you.
If the lion is aware of you presence you should still move in the opposite direction but walk slowly backwards keeping your eyes on the lion. It worth being aware that if the lion is female (has no mane) there is a very high probability there will be other lionesses around…they hunt in groups. If the lion does start to follow you then you should slowly speed up but remember not to run.
