As the gate swung open the three lions pounced. Powerful young males, within seconds they had wrestled the human intruder - Kevin Richardson - to the ground.
We cowered behind the fence, fearing that our day filming with the famed "lion whisperer" of South Africa was about to come to an abrupt and bloody end.
"Are you ok in there," I yelled, genuinely alarmed as Kevin was pinned down by a pile of writhing predators.
"Don't worry," he shouted back, emerging with a giant paw wrapped gently around his head. "This is normal," he laughed.
Kevin, 34, met his first lion 11 years ago and was hooked.
"There were two cubs born in captivity, and I got the opportunity to spend some time with them, never guessing that it would change my life."
Those two lions are adults now, part of a pride of 38 that has been raised at Kevin's vast private reserve near Johannesburg.
Through the years he has developed a remarkable, if sometimes hair-raising, relationship with all of them as an animal behaviourist.
"Some people might say I'm interfering with nature," he said. "But these lions were born in captivity and I'm trying to give them the best life possible. They seem to thrive on the human interaction."
Watch the clip, it's facinating!! He's a brave man but i'd never be that settled with an animal as wild as a lion!!
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Lion-King-Kevin-Richardson-Treated-Like-One-Of-The-Pride-By-The-Big-Cats-At-His-South-Africa-Reserve/Article/200903315245291?lpos=World_News_Third_Home_Page_Feature_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15245291_Lion_King_Kevin_Richardson_Treated_Like_One_Of_The_Pride_By_The_Big_Cats_At_His_South_Africa_Reserve
Garry....I was thinking about that one, but I couldn't remember where it happened! Thanks for the link!!
We cowered behind the fence, fearing that our day filming with the famed "lion whisperer" of South Africa was about to come to an abrupt and bloody end.
"Are you ok in there," I yelled, genuinely alarmed as Kevin was pinned down by a pile of writhing predators.
"Don't worry," he shouted back, emerging with a giant paw wrapped gently around his head. "This is normal," he laughed.
Kevin, 34, met his first lion 11 years ago and was hooked.
"There were two cubs born in captivity, and I got the opportunity to spend some time with them, never guessing that it would change my life."
Those two lions are adults now, part of a pride of 38 that has been raised at Kevin's vast private reserve near Johannesburg.
Through the years he has developed a remarkable, if sometimes hair-raising, relationship with all of them as an animal behaviourist.
"Some people might say I'm interfering with nature," he said. "But these lions were born in captivity and I'm trying to give them the best life possible. They seem to thrive on the human interaction."
Watch the clip, it's facinating!! He's a brave man but i'd never be that settled with an animal as wild as a lion!!
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Lion-King-Kevin-Richardson-Treated-Like-One-Of-The-Pride-By-The-Big-Cats-At-His-South-Africa-Reserve/Article/200903315245291?lpos=World_News_Third_Home_Page_Feature_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15245291_Lion_King_Kevin_Richardson_Treated_Like_One_Of_The_Pride_By_The_Big_Cats_At_His_South_Africa_Reserve
Garry....I was thinking about that one, but I couldn't remember where it happened! Thanks for the link!!