INSPECTED BY LIONS

Southland Times, Issue 23332, 16 October 1937, Page 22

INSPECTED BY LIONS

PARTY IN MOTOR-CAR Visitors to the Kruger National Park had an unusual experience recently (states The Star, Johannesburg), when lions turned the tables on them and made a close-up inspection of the tourists. The lions stood on their hind legs with their front paws on the windows of the visitors’ car, and pawed the handles of the doors. The incident occurred on the road from Melelane to Pretorius Kop. The party consisted of the Rev. Prozesky, of Ermelo, and the Rev. Bahr and Mrs Bahr, of Mbabane, Swaziland. While on their way to Pretorius Kop they came across lion tracks on the road, and farther on saw five lions. “We stopped the car and formed the impression that the lions were as surprised to see us as we were to see them,” Mrs Bahr said. “The lions were lying down when we first came across them. They rose slowly to investigate the car. We hurriedly closed the windows and waited. Soon we were surrounded by the lions, which first sniffed the wheels and then attempted to climb on the running board and look through the windows. “They scratched at the doors and knocked against the handle. My husband had to keep a grip on the handles from the inside, as the doors might, easily have swung open. It was a most unusual experience to have only a pane of glass between us and a number of lions.

“One of the lions clawed the car from the back and another lay down in front of the front bumper. It was accordingly impossible to attempt to move the car either backward or forward. Eventually, however, the lion in front moved slightly to one side, and we took advantage of the opportunity to move off. “The lions maintained their interest in the sar and bounded along the road after it for a short while. When they saw that they could not keep up with it they stood in the road and watched us disappear round a bend.”