Serengeti National Park authorities, a local safari guide company and members of the public have expressed shock and outrage after a tourist leaned out of a vehicle on a game drive and touched a young lion in the Park.
Picture: Geoff Bell / Unrelated
‘The Management of Leopard Tours condemns the action of the guest who endangered his own life, that of the driver-guide sitting next to him, and the safety of the other guests in the safari vehicle,’ Leopard Tours, the safari company, stated.
Their statement and recount of the events below.
The Rules & Regulations of Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) are very clear and what happened is not allowed at all. Visitors are supposed to observe and experience nature without disturbing wild animals in any way. This guest and other members of the group in the safari vehicle were briefed about the National Parks regulations by the driver-guide before starting their tour and we are at a loss for how this could have happened.
WHAT HAPPENED
There were six guests in the safari vehicle travelling as a group, five in the passenger cabin and one sitting in front next to the driver-guide, watching lions in the Serengeti. Suddenly the guest in front opened the car door. The driver-guide was shocked, and reacted by pulling him as he leaned over to touch a young lion passing near the vehicle. The guest used force to reach out and touch the lion on its back, even as other members of the group tried to stop him. The guide managed to hold him back from tipping over and closed the door. The guide discontinued the game drive and drove back to the lodge. He reported the incident to the Management of Leopard Tours who then called TANAPA for further action.
OBSERVATION
The situation was completely beyond the control of the driver-guide. He did what he could do considering he was taken by surprise and did not expect this could ever happen in the National Park. We also find it not reasonable to hold Leopard Tours responsible for the actions of the passenger who was properly briefed about National Park regulations and the driver-guide desperately tried to save his life and that of other passengers.
The driver is a well-qualified guide with over 10 years experience in tour guiding. The driver-guide holds a Certificate in Wildlife Management & Tourism from the highly acclaimed Mweka College of African Wildlife Management.
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