Check out this lion trying to attack my baby!

[blondeviolin]

We took the kids to the zoo today. We stopped and looked at the lions and one of them kept trying to get at Hyrum (10 mos). We even left and came back and she went right back to him! Three videos on our family blog!

[dsmith]

Wow, that was amazing!

[mamalbh]

Oh my, that is scary, there is no question that the lion was after your little one. And your little guy didn't seem to be worried at all. Thank goodness it was at a zoo with nice thick glass.

[Starr]

These are great! I think that lion wants a baby to take care of. :D This reminds me of an otter playing with my ds through the glass at a nature museum when he was little. But a lion - ack!

[Amber in SJ]

That is too scary. That is it! No babies on safari for us. :001_smile:

 

Amber in SJ

[Elizabeth in MN]

It's because he looks the most like raw steak. Big cats tend to go after kids in red.

[KirstenH]

Well, that's the creepiest thing I've seen all day. There is something viscerally disturbing about seeing a lion trying to get at a little baby, even through unbreakable glass!

[Pamela H in Texas]

My internet is lagging so the one video is disconnected for me.

 

However, I totally didn't see this as her trying to attack or eat him (and it seems your little girl didn't either). The "pounce" didn't seem scary to me even. We pop up with "boo" to our children. We sneak up behind them and squeeze them. We whisk them up in our arms and play with them. We bat at them as we "wrestle" with no intention on harming them, tickling instead. I really could see her scooping him up close to her to nurse or nuzzle or clean him. She definitely was fixated on your little guy, but I totally "read" it completely differently. She seemed to get that he was a little guy to interact with. And her following him was to stay close to him like a mother would. And she seemed to be thinking how dare y'all whisk him to the far end of the glass or put "her baby" up in circles. She seemed desperate to get him SAFE from what she may consider dangerous (not close enough, being moved away, being up in the air, etc).

 

Anyway, just a different way to view it. She didn't seem vicious or predatory or warning or angry in the slightest to me.

Edited April 15, 2012 by 2J5M9K

[Donna]

It looked like the lioness wanted to play with him and couldn't figure out why she couldn't get to him. Maybe it was his bright red outfit. She didn't seem to pay any attention to the other kids.

[Cassy]

Well, I thought it was hilarious, so did my boys. Your little ones seemed pretty amused too :D. Loved it!

 

Cassy

[Jennifer in MI]

That was SO cool! I thought the lion was trying to play. Whatever he was doing - he wanted YOUR son! :lol:

[melissad2]

I think she was being a mama lion and was trying to get to him to play. I've heard stories of wild animals protecting babies and small children. Maybe all animals have a soft spot for cuteness :)

[lmrich]

Yikes!!!

[NanceXToo]

Great videos! No idea what her goal was, but it was neat to watch!

[Butter]

I wonder if it was his red outfit. She certainly did seem fixated on him and only him.

[Danestress]

It's hard to tell if the lion wants to eat your baby or play with him, but clearly she's over focused. She is behaving the way my dog behaves with a tennis ball is in his view!!

[happyhomemaker25]

Lily and I enjoyed your video. :001_smile:

[torikei]

That was amazing!

 

 

 

Tori

[Remudamom]

That needs to go viral. Really cool, but scary.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

It looked like the lioness wanted to play with him and couldn't figure out why she couldn't get to him. Maybe it was his bright red outfit. She didn't seem to pay any attention to the other kids.

 

:iagree: Your kids are very cute!

[Stacia]

However, I totally didn't see this as her trying to attack or eat him (and it seems your little girl didn't either). The "pounce" didn't seem scary to me even. We pop up with "boo" to our children. We sneak up behind them and squeeze them. We whisk them up in our arms and play with them. We bat at them as we "wrestle" with no intention on harming them, tickling instead. I really could see her scooping him up close to her to nurse or nuzzle or clean him. She definitely was fixated on your little guy, but I totally "read" it completely differently. She seemed to get that he was a little guy to interact with. And her following him was to stay close to him like a mother would. And she seemed to be thinking how dare y'all whisk him to the far end of the glass or put "her baby" up in circles. She seemed desperate to get him SAFE from what she may consider dangerous (not close enough, being moved away, being up in the air, etc).

 

Anyway, just a different way to view it. She didn't seem vicious or predatory or warning or angry in the slightest to me.

 

I think she was being a mama lion and was trying to get to him to play. I've heard stories of wild animals protecting babies and small children. Maybe all animals have a soft spot for cuteness :)

 

 

:iagree: I think she was wanting to protect him from you guys. :D

 

Maybe she recently lost a cub herself or wants some....

[kalanamak]

Wonderful! The lioness is thinking: I am SOOOOOOOOOO sick of stale horsemeat, I want something FRESH.

[Guest]

Wow!

[jrn]

Very interesting! I wonder what an expert in lion behavior would think!

[Alphabetika]

well babies ARE yummy after all.;)

 

Exactly! Remember the Easter photo thread? Hyrum is a snackin' cake! ;)

[Tap]

Wonderful! The lioness is thinking: I am SOOOOOOOOOO sick of stale horsemeat, I want something FRESH.

 

:iagree: He is just about the size of a good hunk of meat.

[Donna]

There was a black panther at our local zoo that growled, roared, and acted very aggressive toward any baby in a stroller that went by. I think it was the wheels on the strollers that set it off. That panther looked like it would eat someone if able.

[mom4him]

My internet is lagging so the one video is disconnected for me.

 

However, I totally didn't see this as her trying to attack or eat him (and it seems your little girl didn't either). The "pounce" didn't seem scary to me even. We pop up with "boo" to our children. We sneak up behind them and squeeze them. We whisk them up in our arms and play with them. We bat at them as we "wrestle" with no intention on harming them, tickling instead. I really could see her scooping him up close to her to nurse or nuzzle or clean him. She definitely was fixated on your little guy, but I totally "read" it completely differently. She seemed to get that he was a little guy to interact with. And her following him was to stay close to him like a mother would. And she seemed to be thinking how dare y'all whisk him to the far end of the glass or put "her baby" up in circles. She seemed desperate to get him SAFE from what she may consider dangerous (not close enough, being moved away, being up in the air, etc).

 

Anyway, just a different way to view it. She didn't seem vicious or predatory or warning or angry in the slightest to me.

 

:iagree: This is way more the way I say it also. She didn't ever extend her claws nor show her teeth. Thing I would think she would do if she was really 'after' him.

[SpecialClassical]

We attended a "big cat" presentation at a zoo once. The zookeeper told us that the cat will locate the weakest member of a group and that meant our children were main targets.

 

It makes me nervous for my youngest even when I know the cats can't get to them.

[PrincessMommy]

I wonder if she thought your son was a lion cub and she's trying to get to him? he's about the right size.

[Pink Fairy]

That's amazing! Super creepy, too. I think it's obvious she'd like to eat him. I wouldn't be surprised if this goes viral on Youtube (or wherever you hosted it), it's just that crazy.

[Education Explorers]

She looked like my cats always have when they were playing with something. Cats love to play with things by batting them around. Unfortunately for the mouse, bird or bug, the "batting around" virtually always results in their death. The cats always looked so disappointed and bewildered when the "toy" no longer "played." There is a big difference between the "stalking" and "pouncing" when a cat is hunting--especially in body positioning and ear positioning. This lioness sure looked (to me) like she wanted to play. However, without that protective glass, the "game" would not have gone well for your son. Seems like you guys had a very cool day at the zoo.

[Dustybug]

That was really neat! I love that your ds isn't even batting an eye at it.

[Guest submarines]

She looked like my cats always have when they were playing with something. Cats love to play with things by batting them around. Unfortunately for the mouse, bird or bug, the "batting around" virtually always results in their death. The cats always looked so disappointed and bewildered when the "toy" no longer "played." There is a big difference between the "stalking" and "pouncing" when a cat is hunting--especially in body positioning and ear positioning. This lioness sure looked (to me) like she wanted to play. However, without that protective glass, the "game" would not have gone well for your son. Seems like you guys had a very cool day at the zoo.

 

:iagree: Doesn`t look like stalking a prey to me, but I`d be really interested to hear from an expert. Neat video.

[happyhomemaker25]

Exactly! Remember the Easter photo thread? Hyrum is a snackin' cake! ;)

 

Oh yeah!! I forgot about that. He is too sweet. :)

[BridgeTea]

She looked like my cats always have when they were playing with something. Cats love to play with things by batting them around. Unfortunately for the mouse, bird or bug, the "batting around" virtually always results in their death. The cats always looked so disappointed and bewildered when the "toy" no longer "played." There is a big difference between the "stalking" and "pouncing" when a cat is hunting--especially in body positioning and ear positioning. This lioness sure looked (to me) like she wanted to play. However, without that protective glass, the "game" would not have gone well for your son. Seems like you guys had a very cool day at the zoo.

 

:iagree:The lion looked like she was in a playful mood to this non-expert. Great videos, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Swirly Hyrum one shows up on Ellen or Good Morning America's Play of the Day.

 

My Big Cat story: I used to take my (then toddler) son to Carlsbad's Living Desert Zoo, where the resident Mountain Lion would definitely stalk and hunt him when we went by the enclosure. It made me horribly nervous because the cat would jump down from wherever it was perched and crouch along the rocks with tail twitching, staring at him. My son would be oblivious because I would literally scoot him through there, hidden behind me. There was no way to avoid her cage, as the path winding through the park is edged with rocks and cactus, with nowhere else to go except the one path. Loved the zoo, not crazy about their mountain lion set-up.

[Annie Laurie]

Neat video. It didn't strike me as aggressive behavior either, more playful, but I'm no expert. Your little guy is so cute!

[Kathryn]

She looked like my cats always have when they were playing with something. Cats love to play with things by batting them around. Unfortunately for the mouse, bird or bug, the "batting around" virtually always results in their death. The cats always looked so disappointed and bewildered when the "toy" no longer "played." There is a big difference between the "stalking" and "pouncing" when a cat is hunting--especially in body positioning and ear positioning. This lioness sure looked (to me) like she wanted to play. However, without that protective glass, the "game" would not have gone well for your son. Seems like you guys had a very cool day at the zoo.

 

Agree also.

[blondeviolin]

Thanks, ladies! I have no clue what she was doing. My mind jumped to aggression, but I'm no expert. She could have been play batting.

 

There were other babies there and other people in red, but she definitely was enthralled with only Hyrum. I'm tempted to take him back and see what happens...

 

My husband and I just thought t was fascinating! Hyrum laughed most of the time, too. Lol. It Wanda good trip to the zoo!

[Alphabetika]

Oh yeah!! I forgot about that. He is too sweet. :)

 

 

Now I probably seem like I'm stalking him, since I've called him that twice now! :lol:

[Mommy22alyns]

Wow, that is amazing! :001_huh:

[Guest submarines]

Thanks, ladies! I have no clue what she was doing. My mind jumped to aggression, but I'm no expert. She could have been play batting.

 

There were other babies there and other people in red, but she definitely was enthralled with only Hyrum. I'm tempted to take him back and see what happens...

 

My husband and I just thought t was fascinating! Hyrum laughed most of the time, too. Lol. It Wanda good trip to the zoo!

 

Fascinating!

[Scarlett]

We took the kids to the zoo today. We stopped and looked at the lions and one of them kept trying to get at Hyrum (10 mos). We even left and came back and she went right back to him! Three videos on our family blog!

 

That is really cool. Well, you know, with the glass in place and all!:tongue_smilie:

[Mandamom]

That needs to go viral. Really cool, but scary.

 

:iagree:

[MrsBasil]

I'm not sure what she was doing, but that was a great video. Your DS looked he was having a lot of fun!

[Guest submarines]

That needs to go viral. Really cool, but scary.

 

Actually, if you do not want for it to go viral, you probably need to restrict access even further, and then do frequent checks, in case someone already downloaded and reposted. Because this is exactly the kind of videos that go viral.

 

I know I'm in the minority here, but I there's no way I'd expose my children, who can't give informed consent, to the phenomenon of going viral.

[Scarlett]

Actually, if you do not want for it to go viral, you probably need to restrict access even further, and then do frequent checks, in case someone already downloaded and reposted. Because this is exactly the kind of videos that go viral.

 

I know I'm in the minority here, but I there's no way I'd expose my children, who can't give informed consent, to the phenomenon of going viral.

 

Why?

[Laurie4b]

It looked like the lioness wanted to play with him and couldn't figure out why she couldn't get to him. Maybe it was his bright red outfit. She didn't seem to pay any attention to the other kids.

 

:iagree: I just watched the first video, but it looked like play behavior, not aggressive behavior.

[mom2scouts]

With that red outfit, maybe she thought he was a hunk of fresh meat. I saw the tigers doing the same thing to a baby in red at our local zoo. We wear green to the zoo because that's what the zookeepers wear. The animals come closer because they think you are bringing them food, but they don't think you ARE the food.:tongue_smilie:

[magnificent_baby]

Did anyone see GMA this morning? (I think it was GMA) Showed a video of the same thing but different baby though. The child looked about the same age, and also wearing stripes. The mom said the lion was only interested in that one particular baby. Looked like the same zoo as OP's video. Sorry, couldn't find a link yet!