In the wild, things can always go wrong. Lightning can end a fishing trip, or a sudden rockslide can render a mountain inaccessible. In this case, a man climbed a tree and caught the lion’s attention. Then a pride of lions appeared and set up camp on the same spot. If viewers feel that something unusual is going on here, they’re right.
In the video titled “What Would You Do!?”, a man named Dean Schneider portrays himself trapped in a relatively small tree. He was less than 10 feet off the ground and a male lion walked to the base of the tree.
The lion looked at the tree, and immediately turned his attention to the man. The lion rushed forward and jumped, putting both paws on the tree. The claws of the large animal were just a few feet below the man. The lion is essentially looking at people while hugging a tree, which is scary.
However, the lion’s expression is not angry. Curious as to why the man was up in the tree, the lion stretched out as far as he could while showing off his claws. While they may not be as skilled as other big cats in Africa, lions can climb trees. If a lion wants to be in a tree with a man, it’s so easy.
when the lion’s pride calls
©Shawn Levin/Shutterstock.com
Something distracted the lion’s attention from the man in the tree. The scene switches briefly. As it turns out, this is no lone lion. A pride of lions appeared, joined by several lionesses. When the male lion greets the latecomers, they rest together under a tree.
Remember when we said things in the wild can get worse in an instant? If this were anyone else in nature, it would be a serious nuisance. Fortunately, the situation is far less dire than the video suggests. Instead, videographer Dean Schneider knows the lions. He interacts with them in many of his other videos.
The lion that reached out to him was not trying to pull him from the tree. He might wonder why his friend climbed up there without him. Several of Schneider’s social media posts show him laughing with hyenas, hanging out with a pride of lions and getting up close and personal with elephants. In this video, he is never in any real danger.
But anyone else is in unfathomable danger. Any strangers within a lion’s territory could be targeted by big cats or other creatures that live nearby, such as hyenas. Now, we’re all relieved that this man wasn’t trapped under a tree with lions waiting below. That would be one of the scariest interactions a person can have!
Next up: Pride of Lions brings more fun
- Watch a pride of 18 lions attack rhinos, zebras and buffalo
- Watch a hyena walk into a pride of lions inadvertently and immediately regret it
- Watch This Entire Lion Pride Come Together to Take Down a Buffalo
- Watch the pride of the lions roll 22 deep and trigger an absolute scrimmage
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
