An Indian tourist in Phuket, Thailand, was attacked by a tiger while attempting to take a selfie with the wild animal at the popular Tiger Kingdom. The man sustained minor injuries in the incident.
A video capturing the event has gone viral on the social media platform X, sparking widespread concern about the safety measures in place and the treatment of animals at such attractions.
In the 25-second video, an unidentified man is seen walking next to a tiger and attempting to take a photo with it. Meanwhile, a trainer is visible nearby, using a stick to command the tiger to sit.
However, the tiger suddenly becomes aggressive and attacks the man, whose screams can be heard in the clip.
In the comments section, many viewers expressed their concern for the man’s well-being. Several also urged the authorities to improve safety measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
Asked whether the man survived, the person who posted the video said, “Yes, apparently, minor injuries”.
Cats usually don’t like “being petted on the lower (back) body”, said another user.
“This man was petting the tiger continuously near above mentioned body area which must have frustrated the tiger. The final straw was when the man cupped it for a photo,” the person added.
The chilling video “exposes a dangerous trend” wherein tourists get “lured into risky photo-ops with tigers in Thailand”, read another comment.
The incident occurred just weeks after a 50-year-old man was fatally mauled by a tiger in Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh.
Prakash Pane was attacked around 5 AM while working on his farm, according to BL Sirsam, the sub-divisional forest officer, who spoke to PTI.
The official added that the tiger had been roaming around Kundwa village for over a month.
When people heard the man’s cries, they rushed to the scene and tried to scare the tiger away by throwing stones.