A safari ranger had a lucky escape when the tent he was camping in was surrounded by a pride of hungry lions, who decided they fancied his boots for breakfast.
Norman Chauke, 28, from Makuleke Limpopo, South Africa, works as a tracking instructor at an eco-training reserve. He was left stunned when the lions decided they wanted to chew on the boots he had left outside the tent.
He managed to capture the demise of his footwear on camera.
He said: “I was on duty at the camp when about four lions came right in front of the tent I was using. I couldn’t believe it when one lioness ran off with my shoe. I never got the shoe back meaning it must have been a great toy to have.
“At first I thought about my valuable boot and how much I still loved it, however seeing a gorgeous little lioness with my boots in its mouth made me realise how blessed I am to be in such an environment.
“It made me realise how lucky I was to wake up every morning and call the bush my office. I mean you always walk around the bush with enthusiasm and happiness because you never know what to see when you will look around the corner.”
(LLB)