Home Scandal and Gossip Watch: British Safari park owner mauled by lion (after walking in enclosure).

Watch: British Safari park owner mauled by lion (after walking in enclosure).

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Makarele Predator Centre lion attack
Makarele Predator Centre lion attack: Pictured Mike Hodge as he is being mauled by a male lion at the big cat sanctuary.
Makarele Predator Park lion attack
Makarele Predator Park lion attack: Pictured Mike Hodge as he is being mauled by a male lion at the big cat sanctuary.

Makarele Predator Park lion attack: Mike Hodge a British Safari Park owner survives being mauled by a lion as he entered a lion’s enclosure in South Africa. 

Mike Hodge a 67 year old British Safari park owner has been identified as the individual savagely mauled by a lion and yet somehow managed to have his life saved after being rushed to hospital following the harrowing incident caught on camera.

A report via the UK’s Sun told of Hodge being attacked as he entered a lion’s enclosure at the Marakele Predator Park in South Africa.

At the time, Hodge who owned the wildlife park along with a park ranger had become concerned about fissure emanating from the enclosure.

Told a friend, ‘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’. 

‘He is no fool around lions and knows how to interact with them but clearly something went wrong’.

Adding of the moment the lion pounced on Hodge, ‘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.’

Makarele Predator Park lion attack: Big cat put down following attack.

Video footage captured the moment a male lion pursuing Hodge as he made his way back to the metal door of the pen only to be pounced upon.

Onlookers can be heard screaming as the man is dragged by the animal, footage capturing the lion clawing at his victim who suddenly goes limp in the animal’s grip.

The lion drags the man farther into the enclosure, into some bushes and onlookers scream for help.

Then, suddenly, a shot rings out – thought to be from a warden’s gun. The lion drops its prey and runs for cover.

In the background a man can be heard shouting ‘get a rifle’. 

The incident led to Hodge sustaining neck and jaw injuries, with since released photos showing the man in a ‘cheery’ mood as he continued to recover at nearby Mediclinic Hospital reported News24.

The big cat is thought to have since been put down. 

Makarele Predator Park lion attack
Pictured, Makarele Predator Park owners Chris Hedge and his wife, Chrissy.

Makarele Predator Park lion attack: Commentators viscerally react to lion being put down. 

According to the wildlife’s website, Marakele Predator Park was established in 2010 by Hodge and his wife Chrissy after the couple emigrated from the UK.

They moved to South Africa in 1999 and started a lion conservation project in 2003 on a farm 30kms from Thabazimbi

A few years later they relocated to the town in the Limpopo province and founded the Marakele Predator Park.

Their current site has over a dozen big cat, including white lions, cheetahs and two Bengal tigers.

The site tells of guests afforded the ability to stay in safari tents where each night they ‘will be able to hear the lions roar, hyenas laugh, and jackals calling’.

The video sparked debate on social media, with some criticizing Hodge for entering the enclosure.

One viewer questioned why he had ventured so close to the lion.

Wrote a commentator, ‘Why was he inside the enclosure? That’s insane!’ 

Another commented on how the lion was just acting according to its animal instinct.

Told the commentator, ‘So sad that the lion is only doing what comes naturally to him.

‘Set him free, where he deserves to be.’

Added another commentator, ‘We have no right to lock up any animal!! So basically because of this mans stupidity, this amazing animal has been killed!!!!’

Offered another, ‘I can’t believe another innocent animal is killed due to the ignorance of some i d i o t that thought he could enter an enclosure that was full of wild predatory animals.  These animals are not hedgehogs they are wild, hunting animals that don’t distinguish between humans and animals, if you in their territory and you move expect to be eaten!!’

While another posited, ‘Hopefully everyone boycotts this place, the lion should not have been put down.’

Makarele Predator Park lion attack
Makarele Predator Park lion attack: Pictured the big cat sanctuary owner, Mike Hodge as he recovers in hospital.
Makarele Predator Park lion attack
Makarele Predator Park lion attack
Makarele Predator Park lion attack
Makarele Predator Park lion attack
Makarele Predator Park lion attack
Makarele Predator Park lion attack.
Makarele Predator Park lion attack
Makarele Predator Park lion attack
Makarele Predator Park lion attack
Makarele Predator Park lion attack
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