Watch A Lion Jump Absurdly High And Prove Thin Fence Probably Worthless

What appears to be a famished lion in Windhoek, Namibia gives visitors quite a show. Lions were born with freedom in the wild during the 1960s when most African nature reserves were being constructed. However, today’s independence does not necessarily benefit them. Many parks in Africa house lions with less than adequate safety measures. 

Watch the Riveting Footage Below

The huge cats have become an issue, not as a result of any wrongdoing on their part. The issue is that few African countries can afford to invest sufficiently in park maintenance. Some parks in the country allow visitors to feed lions. Yes, you read that right. 

A video uploaded by the Youtube channel, “JMB2” shows just how scary things can get when you’re feeding these huge animals. With nearly 14 million views, it’s safe to say we’re not the only ones shocked by this footage. 

Filmed on December 25, 2012, the footage starts with a lion backing up in slow motion. Within seconds, the apex predator leaps straight up into the air to catch a tasty treat. African lions can jump up to 36 feet laterally and 12 feet vertically. 

Despite their weight, they have powerful and effective leg muscles that allow them to jump far and easily scale trees. The capacity to jump high is an important quality for lions, as pouncing on their victims is their primary hunting tactic.

After finishing his first snack, the lion in the video is back for more. This time, the footage is in real-time and you can clearly see how flimsy the fence is. One comment reads, “Never seen a lion jump so high. If he jumped that fence, this footage probably wouldn’t exist.” While another says, “That fence doesn’t look like it could hold a chicken back.”

The big, beautiful cat begins pawing at the ground, almost like a house cat in a litter box. He’s frustrated they’re not giving him any more food. You can visibly spot his ribs, making us think this lion is quite hungry. 

He lunges at the fence, causing the visitors to stir. The large cat paces and continues to paw at the ground. It wouldn’t take much for him to dig under the fence and get out into the public. Eventually, they throw another piece of meat into the enclosure. Once again, he leaps to impressive heights and catches the morsel without any struggle. 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Gunther Allen/Shutterstock.com