A US tourist was killed and a tour guide injured in a lion attack at Johannesburg’s Lion Park.
JOHANNESBURG – Today’s shocking news of the death of an American tourist at the Lion Park near Lanseria has sparked backlash on social media with various comments referring back to previous incidents, also at the Lion Park. The two people were travelling in the car with their windows apparently open.It’s understood a lioness jumped through the open window, biting the woman who was in the passenger’s seat.The driver, a tour guide, was badly injured while attempting to free the woman from the animal's grasp and was taken to hospital with severe injuries.The most recent incident was in April when Australian Brendan Smith was bitten by a lion after rolling down his window. In a Facebook post he said, ‘No later than 36 hours after touching down in Africa I find myself in hospital after a lion jumped through the car window and decided to go to town on my legs. Pretty full-on but am alive, with insurance coming to the party and an influx of curious Africans wanting to see ‘the lion man’. Could have and should have been a lot worse but chicks dig scars so I’ll be sweet!’
WATCH: A lion has her way with an Aussie tourist.
Animal accidents are not uncommon in South Africa, particularly where tourists are involved, usually due to the fact that park rules had not been followed.
This is a list of incidents going back to 2011:
MAN SHOVES HAND INTO LIONESS’S MOUTH
A man shoved his arm into a lioness’s mouth at the Lion Park to keep her out of his car after he also left a window open.
Ranesh Rajkaran, 28, luckily only suffered scratch marks.
He and his wife, Somashnie, who was pregnant, had been celebrating their second wedding anniversary at the park.
Rajkaran said he opened the windows a little due to the sweltering heat, not expecting a lioness to shove her paw through the gap.
“I think she must have smelled the food in the car or maybe she just wanted to play,” he said.
RUGBY PLAYER AND FAMILY ATTACKED
In December 2013, Former Griquas rugby player Brett Tucker and his family were attacked by a lion at the Lion Park. Tucker had his daughter on his lap at the time when a lion put its paw through the window which was slightly down. Her grandfather then threw her in the backseat. Tucker’s father suffered minor injuries to the shoulder after he tried to roll his window up, but accidentally rolled it further down.
MAN JUMPS INTO ANIMAL ENCLOSURE
In April 2014, a man was mauled to death by lions after he allegedly jumped into the animals’ enclosure at the East London zoo.
“According to the CCTV footage‚ the man entered the zoo this morning at around 9am. He paid the entrance fee and proceeded into the zoo premises. He was alone and did not display any signs of being emotional or distressed‚” said Buffalo City Metro spokesman Thandy Matebese.
LIONS ATTACK TOURIST GROUP
In August 2014, a video emerged of a lion attacking a car full of people. A film crew was visiting a wildlife sanctuary owned by “The Lion Whisperer” Kevin Richardson when one of the big cats began to claw the vehicle, eventually snapping the wing mirror clean off. The lions chased after the car which sped away.
CROC DRAGS MAN UNDER AT GOLF COURSE
In December 2014, Jacques van der Sandt (29) was killed by a crocodile at the Skukuza Golf Course in the Kruger National Park. Van der Sandt allegedly went for a late night swim at a dam called Lake Panic. He was dragged under water by the crocodile and later found in the jaws of the reptile, which was killed in order to recover the body.
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