Lions rarely attack humans. Most recorded instances have been a result of aggravation, territory protection or severe hunger. Attacks do happen however, and those who are unprepared rarely come off well. This guide documents the best practices to avoid lion attack and have an incident free safari

Always make sure you are aware of your surroundings. It is very difficult to know if you are encroaching on a lion's territory but there are usually lion prides close to safari holidays resorts and lions can sometimes have very large territories so it's a safe bet to assume you are.

It is a lot safer to be among tree rather than out in the plains as lions do not like hunting were there is think undergrowth or obstacles that they risk injuring themselves on. For this reason you should try to stick to areas of high plant growth and only venture a short distance from decent cover. Another benefit of being close to trees is that lions are very poor climbers and are unlikely to follow you up a tree if you try to escape.

If you spot lion in the wild do not approach under any circumstances. If the lion is not aware you are they you should move in the opposite direction briskly. Do not start to run as this may alert the lion and make sure you look back often to see if the lion is following you.

If the lion is aware of you presence you should still move in the opposite direction but walk slowly backwards keeping your eyes on the lion. It worth being aware that if the lion is female (has no mane) there is a very high probability there will be other lionesses around - they hunt in groups. If the lion follows you then up your pace, trying to keep an equal distance from it.

If the lion charges at you, there is a very quick decision you have to make. If the lion is far enough away for you to run for cover and either climb a tree or jump in large amount of water (this poses its own problems) then run. If the lion is too close and you can't outrun it then you should face the lion, spread your arms as wide as possible and shout as loud as you can. This is not "prey behaviour" and it is very likely this will confuse the lion and make it rethink whether it wants to attack. Nine times out of ten this will cause the lion to lose interest and move on.

The worst thing you can do is act like prey. This means turning your back on the lion and running away, which will just engage the lion's natural hunting instinct and it will be game over.

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