Good thing there was a wall of glass there.
A little boy sitting in front of the lion enclosure at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans over the weekend had a very close encounter with one of the residents.
As the boy sat a few feet away from the enclosure, a lioness name Zuri crept forward, then pounced and swatted at the glass.
The 3-year-old lioness is described on the zoo’s website as playful, outgoing and inquisitive, and her hobbies are chasing butterflies and people-watching. But in this case, Zuri looked ready to do more than just watch:
Rather than flee the flailing lioness, the family turned the situation into a Kodak moment. When they brought a toddler in for the pic, Zuri began swatting at the glass with even more intensity.
The zoo told New Orleans Advocate that the child and family didn’t do anything to incite the lion. However, zoo officials warned visitors against trying to recreate this and similar viral moments. They also urged guests not to tap on the glass, taunt the animals or throw anything into the enclosures.