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How To Meet A Lion And Improve Your Chances Of Escaping With Your Life

How To Meet A Lion And Improve Your Chances Of Escaping With Your Life

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Safaris come with guides, fast-moving vehicles, general built-in safety precautions and warnings — lots of warnings. But what if you’re that one person who gets lost from the group, wanders into unsafe territory, forgets the warnings and gets caught in a lion’s crosshairs? It’s a big what if — too big not to be prepared for it. Here’s how to meet a lion and escape with your life.

Sources: Lifehack.org, Shortlist.com, Smithsonianmag.com

This article was originally published Feb. 20, 2015.

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

Dress carefully

In preparation for your safari, wear clothing that makes you look nothing like lions’ typical prey. If you do not resemble a lion’s typical prey, it probably won’t attack you. Lions tend to eat buffalo, elephants, zebras and giraffes, so stay away from the stripes and polka dots. Try to look scrawny. If you could be Indiana Jones that would help, but taking a style cue from him is a good start.

Pixabay.com
Pixabay.com

 

When scrawny stops being good…

When a lion is at a distance, if you appear scrawny, he’ll be more inclined to ignore you. However, if things progress to the point that the lion is noticing you, agitated by you, and considering attacking you, then appear as large as possible by taking a wide stance and hovering your arms up in the air. The more you look like a challenge, the less likely the lion will be to continue his pursuit. You can take off an item of clothing and wave it in the air to appear even larger.

Pixabay.com
Pixabay.com

Stay perfectly still

A lion doesn’t want to attack just because he sees you. He will only attack if he feels threatened or if your timing is really, really bad…like you caught him at a time when he was hunting already…

victorialabalme.com
victorialabalme.com

Do not acknowledge the lion

Do not look at the lion and definitely do not point at him.

Flickr.com
Flickr.com

Check the tail, harbinger of bad news

A tail that is doing a sweeping motion from side to side means the lion might feel threatened or upset. A stiff tail that is occassionaly twitching could mean the lion is currently on the hunt. Either of these are dangerous for you.

Wikimedia.org
Wikimedia.org

Stand sideways

A lion does not want to fight you—he knows it could result in an injury for himself. So before making any big decisions, see what the lion is doing. Stand so your side is facing him so he knows you’re not trying to fight. If he makes a lot of noise, growls and/or paws at the ground, he is most likely just trying to scare you away. An actual attack will involve one long launch on his part, and one big growl.

Wikimedia.org
Wikimedia.org

 

Wave your arms, clap and shout

You might feel frozen in terror, but usually yelling as loud as you can, waving your arms and clapping them will make a lion turn around — hopefully facing away from you. For good. And never looking back.

Wikimedia.org
Wikimedia.org

 

Hide behind a termite mound

If the lion has backed off, stop shouting and stop waving your arms. Back away, still with your side facing the lion, into an open area. If you find a termite mound (they can be as large as pictured above) hide behind that but don’t go into a thicket. Do. Not. Go. Into. A. Thicket.

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

 

Move only when he doesn’t

Your movement upsets the lion. Only move away if he (or she) appears to be calm. If he (or she) begins to move towards you, freeze again.

Funmozar.com
Funmozar.com

Under no conditions are you to run

No matter what, do not run. Running ignites the lion’s predatory instincts. If you run — the very thing human evolution has been preparing you to do for just this moment — the lion almost certainly will attack. Usain Bolt, the fastest human alive, can run 27.79 miles per hour, according to the Smithsonian. A lion can run 50 miles per hour.

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

 

Light a torch

Lions are not afraid of fire, but that doesn’t mean they’re immune to it. If you have a torch with you, light it. Fire might be your only weapon should the lion attack.

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

 

Aim for the face

If it does come down to the lion fully charging at you, throw whatever you have directly at the lion’s face. Aim for the eyes or anywhere that will cause pain.