Camera catches lion attacking toddler, smashing into glass wall

The incident was captured by a visitor at Chiba Zoological Park in Tokyo, Japan

A lion at a zoo in Japan charged at a toddler with his back turned, only to smash itself against the protective glass wall seconds later.

The interesting footage was captured by a visitor at the Chiba Zoological park in eastern Tokyo, Japan.

The child could not notice the grisly 185-kilogram lion approaching at it until it collided with the glass.

The wall was installed in April last year to provide visitors an opportunity to have a closer look at the large predator.



According to animal rights campaigners, the video highlighted that keeping wild predators in similar captivity was dangerous as well as cruel.

"Lions are natural wild predators and the child in this video, especially when turning his back to the massive feline, becomes prey in the animal's eyes,” Lion expert Adam M Roberts from Born Free USA told The Dodo.



Consequences could have been catastrophic for the family had the barrier not been there, he added.

On the contrary, zookeepers insisted the lion just wanted to have fun with the boy and routinely reacted this way when it saw young children.

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The article first appeared on The Independent