A startling incident unfolded on a busy street in Makhachkala, Dagestan, where a man walking a lion on a leash like a dog faced chaos when the animal attacked his brother. Viral footage captures the casually dressed man approaching the seemingly calm predator to play, only for the lion to lunge suddenly and clamp its jaws around his arm.
The Shocking Attack
The big cat’s patience snaps as the man reaches toward its face. Within seconds, the lion charges, sinking its teeth into the victim’s hand and briefly dragging him toward the ground. Bystanders scream and rush to assist, while the owner yanks desperately on the leash. The man escapes miraculously without serious injuries, fleeing the scene as initial laughter turns to horror.
Authorities Launch Investigation
Police in the Dagestan region are probing the event. “Checks are being carried out to establish the time, place, and circumstances,” a police spokesperson stated. Officials seek the lion owner’s identity and verification of any permits to keep the wild animal as a pet.
Recent Similar Tragedies
This close call follows deadly encounters elsewhere. In May, 50-year-old Aqil Fakhr al-Din in Najaf, Iraq, was killed and partially eaten by his pet lion in his garden. Authorities shot the animal after it refused to abandon its prey.
In Crimea, wildlife park worker Leokadiya Perevalova, a big cat expert, suffered a fatal mauling. Lions bit through her carotid artery after she forgot to secure a safety gate. “The staff who found the body, unfortunately, could not provide any help because the lions had just mauled it,” said Oleg Zubkov, a 56-year-old lion expert. “I was horrified by the fact that the lions, despite the fact that they were well-fed, healthy, strong, they not only killed, but also nibbled, started to gnaw the legs.”
