It was the moment that a tour guide engaged in tug of war against a playful Lion.
Jabulani Salinda (49), was leading a tour through Baobab Ridge Game Lodge in South Africa on November 18.
One of his colleagues informed him that there was an area with lions so he started moving the truck.
However, he managed to get the jeep stuck in a ground so he had to have it pulled out using the rope.
The male lion grasps the tow rope and pulls it in, in a video that’s been watched more than 13,000 times.
The truck tugs at its end, while the passengers laugh behind it.
However, the 49-year old guide attempted to drive off. The lion dug in his paws to secure the line and wrap it around a tree for extra leverage.
Jabulani Slinda (49), was leading a tour through Baobab Ridge Game Lodge in South Africa on November 18. One of the lions seized Mr Salinda’s rope and refused to release it.
This footage features a lion taking the rope from its mouth and moving over to a tree.
In an effort to win the tug-of-war, it wraps the rope around itself and then disappears behind the tree when it starts to shake.
The rope is dropped and laughter can be heard. However, the Lion then follows the trail to retrieve it in his mouth.
The truck starts to move and the lion holds the rope in one’s mouth. He appears to stumble slightly when he is being pulled by the rope.
When the truck is moving, the lion retains the rope in its mouth. The lion appears to be able to stagger slightly while being pulled by it.
To the delight of all aboard, the determined lion refuses to give up and holds onto the rope until it is lost behind a tree.
The footage ends with the prideful lion walking towards the truck, the rope still in his mouth and not willing to surrender to the tug-of-war.
According to the tour guide, he gave up when several females walked past him and decided to hunt with them rather than play.
About five minutes into the tug-of-war between Mr Salinda & the Lion, the male lion noticed female lions in the distance and decided to go on a hunt with them.
Mr Salinda, from Dumfries, South Africa, said: ‘It was funny for me because I didn’t think of it just as a lion playing with a rope, it was like a big cat playing with a toy.
“All its traits at that time were similar to a home cat every family would want. It only wanted to have fun with the rope.
“I have been a tour leader for 19 years. I haven’t seen a lion like this.” My guests were worried that the lion’s fascination with the rope would lead him closer to the jeep. However, he was not aggressive.
“I doubt it has ever happened to him before. His attention was completely on the rope. I calmed him down, and they were able to have a great time.
“He was shocked by the rope, but he saw an opportunity to have fun with it.
Instead of moving the rope to the front of our vehicle, we tried moving my jeep 45 degrees to see if this helped. This worked quickly and I was able to get myself out.
“Before i could pull the rope in back in it caught my eye, lion.” He walked up to the rope and took it. He tried pulling the jeep to his side but it wouldn’t go. To increase tension, he wrapped the jeep around trees.
Pictured: Mr Salinda said that he thought the encounter was funny because he saw it like a large cat with a toy.