Tourist, 22, mauled to death by lion who jumped through her car window
A TOURIST was mauled to death by a lion after she opened her car window during a safari park tour yesterday.
The 22-year- old woman was sitting in the passenger’s seat when the lioness is reported to have leapt in and savaged her.
The attack is believed to be the third at the popular wildlife park in South Africa in just four months.
Park officials pointed out that the woman, an American tourist, had f l outed i nstructions to keep car windows closed.
A South African man who was driving the vehicle tried to free the woman from the animal’s grasp and was left seriously injured.
There were claims that the woman was trying to take photographs when the lioness lunged – and that the driver had tried to punch the animal and was severely scratched. He was taken to hospital.
It is understood the lioness is now being kept in a separate enclosure. The park said last night that there were no plans to destroy her.
The attack, which occurred at around 2.30pm, was witnessed by other tourists when around 250 people were visiting The Lion Park, near Johannesburg.
Tourists can drive in their own vehicles through large enclosures at the attraction where lions roam freely.
The Lion Park guarantees ‘super close-up views’ on its website and claims ‘ nowhere can you get closer to a pride of lions and other animals and still be completely safe’. The attraction, which has seen celebrities such as singers Shakira, Rihanna and John Legend and actress Natalie Portman pass through i ts gates, also offers walking with cheetahs and posing for professional photographs with the animals.
In March, Australian tourist Brendan Smith was mauled by a lion after it j umped through an open car window and bit his legs. Two days later, a 13 year- old boy was attacked by a cheetah.
Yesterday Scott Simpson, assistant operations chief at the park, said: ‘ The l i on approached from the left of the vehicle, the passenger side and walked quite close to the car. The witnesses said they saw the guests taking pictures of the l i on f rom a metre away, then the lion lunged at the car and bit the l ady through the window.’
Mr Simpson said park staff rushed to get the lioness off the young woman and carried out CPR. Paramedics were called but could do nothing to save her.
The woman and her companion, thought to be a tour guide, were taking a ‘routine’ drive through the compound.
Mr Simpson added: ‘ We make it so clear. We put signage up everywhere that people must keep their windows closed.
‘We hand them a slip of paper when they enter the park, I really don’t understand why people think its OK to leave windows open.
African lions – normally the lionesses – work together to prey upon other animals.
In 2014, a visitor to the Lion Park in 2014 uploaded a video on YouTube of a lion opening an unlocked car door.
The official South African tourism website describes the park as a ‘ hybrid between a zoo and a game reserve’, while the Lion Park’s website says cheetahs, spotted hyenas and giraffe are also in the park. Visitors can also interact with cheetah and lion cubs.
The Lion Park, which was founded in 1966, is one of the region’s most popular tourist destinations.
‘Then the lion lunged’