The Zoo…everyone loves visiting one. It’s a great place where family and friends can go to enjoy walking outdoors while looking at wild animals. For some of us, including me, our favorite childhood memories include a trip to the zoo.
One boy was most interested in seeing the tigers. Who wouldn’t be? While there are plenty of animals, the Siberian tiger is special. As the largest cat in the world, an adult male can reach 11 feet in length and weigh up to 320 pounds. Even more impressive, they can run between 50 and 60 miles per hour. Now that’s fast.
While at the zoo, you have to take a lot of photos and videos, of course. After all, what better way to capture special moments with loved ones. One dad got the surprise of a lifetime. His video has now gone viral and for good reason. This isn’t something you see every day.
It started out as an ordinary day.
A dad took his 7-year-old son Sean to the Dublin Zoo. They wanted to celebrate the holidays and thought this was a perfect way to do it. Like millions of other visitors, he and his son headed to the tiger display. Keep in mind, there’s a thick glass between humans and the animals. Otherwise, well you know…things wouldn’t end up the way you’d want them to.
He wanted to capture a video of his son.
Picture it: you have a 7-year-old boy sitting on a small ledge in front of the tiger exhibit. The father has his video rolling. All he wanted was to get some great shots of his boy and these magnificent animals. But what he got instead wasn’t what he expected.
The video starts rolling.
At first, there’s nothing worth bragging about, other than an adorable child spending a day with his dad at the zoo. But then, the dad notices a massive Siberian tiger in the background that was paying extra attention to Sean. Suddenly, the animal begins to creep forward, as if sneaking up on its prey.
Ever so slowly, the tiger gets closer.
With the tiger still crouched and slinking closer, the dad continues to film. At first, the boy has no idea what’s going on in the background. Then you hear the father say, “Sean, stay.” If the boy looked back at the tiger, it would immediately freeze. Then when he’d turn back toward his dad, the beast would start creeping forward again. This happened several times.
Then it happens.
In the blink of an eye, the Siberian tiger decided to attack. It lunged with such speed and force no one could believe it. Just seconds later, the animal pounces. The tiger didn’t care there was a big glass barrier in place. It had its sights set on Sean and nothing else. Thank goodness for safety glass.
Both the boy and his dad were startled.
Although the boy squealed with delight, I’m sure his heart was pounding. Like a pro, the dad kept on filming. After sharing the video, people couldn’t get enough of it. Having the opportunity to see how Siberian tigers stalk their prey is a unique experience. As you look at the video, you can tell the tiger becomes hyper-focused on Sean.
As the dad said, if the glass hadn’t been there, his son would have been the animal’s supper. Even after Sean jumps up from his seat, the tiger still wants to get at him. Thankfully, we can see how wild animals act in their natural habitat by taking a trip to the zoo. This is a day Sean and his dad will never forget…one that was a little too close for comfort in my opinion.
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Source: Little Things, YouTube
