Mr Mike Hodge, a British safari park owner in South Africa, could be seen being savagely attacked by one of his own lions as he entered their enclosure. It happened in front of horrified onlookers who were visiting his Makarele Predator Centre in Thabazimbi.
The British 72-year-old, who moved from the UK with his wife Chrissy in 1999, is currently recovering in hospital and is said to have sustained neck and jaw injuries from the gruesome mauling of his beloved lion.
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A friend of the owner said: “Mike and one of his rangers were a little concerned about a smell in a compound that was upsetting one of the lions and had gone in through the gate to see what was causing it.
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"It had put the lion on edge but when Mike went in the lion turned and came for him and he ran but couldn't get through the gate quick enough and it had him.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MorningAddiction?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MorningAddiction</a> A British wildlife park owner is recovering in a South African hospital after being mauled by one of his lions.Mike Hodge, 67, suffered neck and jaw injuries in the attack at the Marakele Animal Sanctuary in Thabazimbi.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AroundTheWorld?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AroundTheWorld</a> <a href="https://t.co/Y2D2dpvCPi">pic.twitter.com/Y2D2dpvCPi</a></p>— 91.2 Crooze Fm (@912CroozeFM) <a href="https://twitter.com/912CroozeFM/status/991519325763915776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"There is no information coming out of the hospital but all I know is that he is alive and his wife and daughter are with him.”
“I do not know how badly hurt he is but he is a lovely guy and I wish him all the best.”
"He is no fool around lions and knows how to interact with them but clearly something went wrong"
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In the footage, you can see how the lion sees Mr Hodge after he enters the enclosure and after a slight hesitation, chases him towards the metal door of the facility as the senior man tries to get out, aware something is wrong with the lion.
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Shocking footage captures the moment British wildlife park owner Mike Hodge was mauled by a lion after entering its enclosure.<br><br>Mr Hodge is recovering in hospital from "serious" injuries. It's understood the lion was killed.<a href="https://t.co/bUNLJi4e7c">https://t.co/bUNLJi4e7c</a> <a href="https://t.co/ftdUiVhtpT">pic.twitter.com/ftdUiVhtpT</a></p>— ITV News (@itvnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/itvnews/status/991394239102836738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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What follows is an astonishing scene as the elderly park owner is dragged around in the enclosure like a rag doll towards some bushes so the lion can finish him off. Visiting tourists can be heard screaming as the other zookeepers start shooting at the lion in order to save Mr Hodge.
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S__it Happens when you play with Mother Nature.