MANNEQUIN CHALLENGE ZOOKEEPER EATEN BY LIONS

A ZOO keeper taking part in a Mannequin Challenge was eaten by LIONS when he stood still in the big cat enclosure for the stunt.

The Mannequin Challenge is sweeping social media, with everyone from police officers, students and celebs taking part.

A viral video craze, it involves people imitating mannequins and freezing for the camera – especially while at work – while music plays in the background.

But one workplace where the Challenge is not appropriate is the lion house at Clayton Zoo in Ohio – as keeper Arnie Marquez found out.

While sweeping up lion shit – which is sold to local gardeners as specialist fertiliser – 31- year- old Marquez stood stock still while a colleague filmed him on his mobile phone.

A zoo source said: “Everyone thought that it would make the best Mannequin Challenge ever. Arnie was stood there, with lions walking about in the background.

“It would have been a winner.”

Unfortunately, lions react badly to humans standing still near them – they see it as ‘ stalking’, which is threatening.”

The source said: “Our lions are normally placid but with Arnie standing absolutely still they must HORROR: Clayton Zoo ANIMAL TRAGIC: Keeper Arnie Marquez with his favourite beast, Tanya the tapir have thought he was some form of threat to the pride.

“One of the females, Ellie, was on him in a second and just after that a big male called Felix clamped his jaws around Arnie’s head.

Walnut

“His skull just cracked like a wet peanut. I’d like to say that he wouldn’t have known what was happening, but he would.

“The last thing to go through his head before it went ‘ squish’ was probably, ‘ F** k! I’m being eaten by a ruddy great lion!”

Managers closed the zoo for the rest of the day as a mark of respect.