Lion expert ‘lucky to be alive’ after big cat attack
THIS is the terrifying moment a British conservationist is dragged and mauled by a lion after walking into its enclosure. Mike Hodge suffered serious injuries to his neck and jaw but incredibly he escaped with his life. The 67-year-old expat, who runs Marakele Predator Park in South Africa, was last night recovering in hospital. But the incident sparked a storm on social media after it was reported that the lion was later put down. The drama began when Mr Hodge – who moved to South Africa 20 years ago – entered the animal enclosure to investigate after something appeared to be unsettling the lions. In the mobile phone footage, he can be seen strolling into the animal pen as the male lion walks off in the opposite direction. But the big cat then turns towards him, causing Mr Hodge to run to the exit gate. A witness screamed as the attack was filmed, in which the lion chased Mr Hodge before jumping up and clawing him to the ground. It clamped its jaws around his back and dragged him across the pen. A gunshot can then be heard, causing the lion to let go of Mr Hodge and flee. A friend said: “Mike is no fool around lions and knows how to interact with them but clearly something went wrong.” But yesterday social media users voiced their anger after it was claimed that the lion had been put to sleep purely for following its instincts.
Debbie Wagner wrote: “So sad that the lion is only doing what comes naturally to him.”
Another, Claire Allen, questioned Mr Hodge’s professional judgment, asking: “Why was he inside the enclosure? That’s insane!”
Mr Hodge and his wife Chrissy set up a lion conservation project and opened Marakele, 120 miles north of Pretoria, in 2010.
The couple have more than a dozen big cats including white lions, cheetahs and Bengal tigers, together with hyenas, jackals, monkeys and lemurs. Visitors pay the equivalent of £46 per night to stay in one of their comfortable safari tents, which boast en-suite bathrooms.
They can also volunteer to help look after the animals and are promised they will hear “lions roar, hyenas laugh and jackals calling”.
Big cat watching experiences are also available from a “lion mobile”, which consists of a cage on the back of a Land Rover.
On his website, Mr Hodge says the experience guarantees a “super photo opportunity to be had by all”.