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By Lydia Patrick
Life & Trends Reporter
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A man has shared the terrifying yet hilarious moment he realized he wasn't alone in his selfie—because a lion was right behind him.
TikTok user Callum (@1_cal) was staying at a lion lodge, where guests can experience big cats up close, even while relaxing in a hot tub. His post featuring the jaw-dropping encounter quickly amassed 242,300 likes and 1.6 million views on TikTok.
"So this is me acting brave, but moments before I was terrified," Callum admitted in the video, showing off his now-viral selfie with a lion looming in the background.
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But things took a turn as the lion seemed less amused with the impromptu photo session. "The lion didn't take too kind to a selfie and obviously didn't take too kind to me laughing at him, and decided to try and scratch the glass down in order to eat me," Callum recounted, as footage showed the lion clawing at the thick screen separating them.
The video continued with scenes from his stay, where the lodge's lions could be seen roaming the grounds and letting out their powerful roars.
The Port Lympne Reserve's Lion Lodge, part of The Aspinall Foundation, allows visitors to live among lions in a luxury setting with reinforced glass barriers providing safe, close encounters with these majestic animals. Port Lympne aims to fund conservation efforts with its accommodations, creating a unique blend of tourism and animal welfare.
However, animal rights groups question whether this kind of setting truly benefits the animals, noting that smaller safari parks often face the same ethical concerns as zoos. Freedom for Animals points out that such fenced in parks, including those in the U.K. can contribute to the unnatural confinement of wildlife and encourage trading or swapping of animals between parks.
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Viewers had a mix of reactions, ranging from amusement to apprehension. "Are you sitting in a tub? The lion looks like he's waiting for dinner to come out of the pot," one viewer joked.
Another commenter took the lion's perspective, saying, "I feel like this is emotional torture for lions. Imagine a doughnut being in a glass cage and all you can do is stare at it."
A third user couldn't hide their concern, adding, "I could never put that amount of trust in a piece of glass LIKE EVER."
One viewer shared Callum's initial terror, commenting, "Bro, the second picture is genuinely terrifying, and it's 4 a.m."
Newsweek reached out to @1_cal for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.
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