Lion pounces at five-year-old boy and claws the glass at Edinburgh Zoo

Moment lion pounces at five-year-old boy and claws the glass separating them at Edinburgh Zoo

  • Evan Kennedy, five, was visiting Edinburgh Zoo with family for the first time
  • They stopped at lion enclosure where youngster stood at the glass for a photo
  • Footage captured the moment Jayendra, an Asiatic lion, tried to pounce on the youngster, sending him into a fit of giggles

A heart-stopping video shows the moment a ferocious lion pounced towards a five-year-old boy at a zoo – but was left clawing at a sheet of glass.

The footage shows Evan Kennedy giggling in surprise as Jayendra the lion tried to get his claws on the youngster at Edinburgh Zoo.

In the clip, filmed on on May 28, the eleven-year-old Asiatic lion is shown watching Evan as he walks beside the glass window to the big cats’ enclosure.


Evan Kennedy, five, was seen giggling away as Jayendra the lion tried to claw his way through a glass screen to get the youngster at Edinburgh Zoo on May 28

As Evan stands with his back to the lion to pose for a photograph, Jayendra is shown quickly jumping for the boy.

The youngster, from East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, leaps forward before bursting out laughing as members of his family scream and chuckle.

The king of the jungle’s huge paws scratch against the protective glass screen as he eyes up his prey.

Muddy paw prints can be spotted smeared across the screen as Jayendra continues to pace whilst keeping his eyes firmly on Evan.

The youngster, from East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, was on a day out with his sisters Orla (pictured with Evan) and Lily and their mother Catherine

The female lion Roberta is shown walking around in the background as the incident unfolds.

Evan’s mother, Catherine Kennedy, shared the clip on social media yesterday, writing: ‘The lion at Edinburgh Zoo thought Evan was dinner.’

Speaking today, mother-of-three Catherine said: ‘It was just before closing time so we were heading back to the exit and noticed the lions at the glass.

‘It was jumping up at the glass so I was trying to get a picture of Evan with the lion behind him. Every time Evan moved it followed him.

Evan’s mother, Catherine Kennedy, shared the clip on social media yesterday, writing: ‘The lion at Edinburgh Zoo thought Evan was dinner’ Pictured, Evan with sisters Lily, 13 (left) and Orla, seven

‘We went to the zoo on Friday last week because it had been Evan’s birthday on Thursday May 27 so there was me, my husband and his two big sisters Lily, 13, and Orla, 7.

‘It was actually Lily who was filming it. It was his first time at the zoo. It was lovely, it turned out warm and we had a lovely day.’

She added: ‘He had wanted to see the pandas and penguins because they have been watching the zoo webcams but he says his new favourite is the lion.’

Edinburgh Zoo is home to five Asiatic lions – Jayendra, Roberta, Mitaali, Keshari and Kushanu.

Jayendra was born in 2010 and moved to the Scottish zoo in 2012 from Bristol.

Roberta was born in 2013 and arrived in 2014 from a zoo in Germany.

In August 2019, Roberta gave birth to Mitaali, Keshari and Kushanu.

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