Zoo lets the brave tickle a lion's tummy

Dare ya, double dare ya, to tickle a lion's belly! Or touch his menacing claws!

A zoo in Chile gives thrill seekers a chance to do just that, albeit while comfy and snug in the safety of a cage mounted on a safari truck.

Atop it, lured by a slap of fresh red meat, is the mighty heaving feline.

Welcome to the Safari zoo in Rancangua in central Chile, where vehicles take visitors on a drive through a two-hectare enclosure that is home to six lions.

Travellers ride inside the caged-in back of the truck.

Picture: AFP

Then it's up to the lions to decide what they feel like doing: ambling up for a sniff, climbing atop to eat the meat and look at the cowering humans below, or even lying down for a rest.

Then, just stick a brave finger through the metal grates and there you are, touching the king of the jungle's tummy.
Safari park is the first-of-its-kind in Chile and one of the few in Latin America.

The idea is for people to see animals in their natural habitat, in effect with people caged up rather than the majestic animals themselves.
 

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