If you've ever dreamed of going on a safari but can't afford the high cost of airfare, you might want to consider traveling closer to where you live.
A man on safari in the UK came across an animal he was not expecting to see.
TikTok user @the_3_amigos posted a video on the platform showing the moment of his excitement at Knowsley Safari Park in Prescot, about half an hour outside Liverpool. He shared the eight-second clip while sitting in his car as the lion walked past.
In fact, two lions walked past a parked car from either side on a cloudy, rainy day. Some viewers of the video were amazed to see lions at a safari park in the UK.
The male and female lions calmly walked past a car and other vehicles ahead. The TikTok user captioned their post: “Close up to lions.”
At the time of writing, the video has 2.3 million views, 116,000 likes and almost 600 comments. One puzzled viewer asked: “Lions in the UK?”
Another added: 'Imagine you're there with your kids, they're eagerly waiting for the lions to show up and they open the door.'
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@the_3_amig0s
CLOSE UP WITH LIONS #knowsleysafaripark #liverpool #lion #fyp
GBP – Central Cee and 21 Savage
One user added: “No, I'm going to have to open the window and try to touch it.” Another recalled: “I remember my mom's car making a loud noise as she drove away and the lions started chasing us. I was so scared.”
A fourth commenter joked about the weather: “Even the lions look out of place being out here in this weather.” Someone who has been to Knowsley Safari Park before and loves lions said: “I've been there many times over the years and have never seen a lion go by.”
Others have expressed concern about lions being outside in the UK, commenting: “This is completely wrong, lions should not be in this climate” and “why is the UK treating lions as if they have the sun?” WWF describes African lions as “large, adaptable cats” that can live in a wide range of environments, including semi-arid desert areas and even very dry places like the Kalahari Desert.
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Knowsley Safari Park offers a five-mile safari road – the longest in the UK – set on 550 acres. This gives visitors the chance to see animals from all over the world, from Bactrian camels to white rhinos and African lions. The current population of African lions is around 23,000, and at Knowsley Safari Park you can get up close and personal with these predators from the comfort of your vehicle.
African lions are currently classified as “vulnerable” and without changes to their habitat they are likely to become endangered, according to Safari. The animals face habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as threats from the illegal wildlife trade and human-wildlife conflict, according to WWF.
African lion numbers have declined by more than 40 percent in the last three generations due to habitat loss and conflict with humans. Knowsley Safari Park shared some interesting facts about these carnivores, including that most of the hunting is done by the lioness and her pride.
Sourse: www.express.co.uk
