It’s a total bucket list item for most people to be able to go on a fun African safari, right? There are so many things to see there, from elephants to giraffes or hippos and lions; no matter what, there’s at least one epic animal there that everyone will want to see.
For one woman, that dream came true on Tuesday, January 2nd, when her South African safari journey was interrupted by a big pride of lions who had other places to be:
@condimentclairehappiest new year yet
Claire from @condimentclaire is one of my favorite creators for a lot of reasons, and “gorgeous video of lions” has only sweetened the deal. How amazing is this?
Related: Woman on a Stroll with 3 Lions in South Africa Is Just Unreal
The video is very simple: the safari group is riding along on their journey, and a big group of lions gets right in their way to walk by them. The vehicle has to come to a stop; the lions are completely blocking the road, for one, but it’s also best not to spook lions – especially when there are so many of them. However, when you’re paying money for a safari experience, it can’t get much better than this.
A few of the lions look over at them, but most of them just don’t even care at all. This is probably not the first safari they’ve seen. Lions have amazing instincts. They know that the massive safari vehicle (and the scary humans inside) have a better chance of injuring them than, say, a gazelle, so they don’t go after it. So instead of engaging, they just go on their way to their destination.
Safaris aren’t dangerous at all
Some people might look at a safari like this not be able to help themselves. There are so many lions there, and all it takes is one lion to make this whole thing go bad. And while there is always a risk of things like this going wrong, safari guides are highly trained in avoidance and deterrence. As a final fail-safe measure, some safari guides are armed with lethal weaponry. Non-lethal shots can be made to incapacitate an animal, but some safari guides/ national park rangers are allowed to use lethal means to subdue an animal if there’s no other option.
Staying safe on safari is pretty easy: when you’re booking your excursion, you need to make sure you’re booking through a reputable company. While it can be tempting to save some money by booking through smaller companies, they may not be legitimate. Read reviews, ask around, and do yourself a favor by booking a safari with a well-trained, educated guide.
Of course, there are some general safety tips you should follow, like:
- Not making loud or sudden movements.
- Not reaching out of the vehicle to touch an animal.
- Not having any snacks on board.
- Not taking pictures using flash.
- Not wearing any perfume.
Generally, you want to make sure you do everything you can to ensure that the animal won’t be interested in you in any way. Boring is exactly what you need to be in order to have an exciting, safe safari!
