A 200kg lion forced a conservationist to hide behind his car door after charging straight at him and stopping just one metre away.
Divan Grobler was called to help change a tourists tyre on January 24 while also having to distract a three-year-old lion hovering nearby.
Striking footage shows the predator prowling nearby looking for some carrion left nearby, however the animal then bolted directly for Divan.
Using quick-thinking, the 36-year-old quickly ducked behind his vehicles door just as the lion stopped less than a metre from him and growled menacingly.
Divan said: Lions are extremely territorial especially over their carrion. He just didn't give us any chance to do what we needed to do.
So we tried to lure him away with some carrion but he was too smart for us. We thought he was far away enough but he was still focused on us and came charging forward.
He was about one metre away from me there at the end by the vehicles door but backed off when he realised we were not a threat.
Eventually he was more interested in his meat and left us to continue to do our work which made it easier at the end and no harm came to anybody fortunately.
This has happened few times to me in the field. It is intimidating yet I love them so much. It feels like I can almost speak their language.
I could see this male was just here for business. Wildlife is always unpredictable you never know what to expect and each one has its own temperament and personality that follows.
In all situations like this one, one must try and remain calm as possible.
My background has been in lions for a decade now researching them collaring, tracking and working on a plan to make sure this iconic animal doesn't disappear.
I love my work. It's my passion there is never a dull day around wildlife.
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