Man nearly has arm torn off by a lion after sticking his hand into its enclosure in South Africa

THIS is the moment a man dares to strokes a lioness he calls “lovely” — only to find out the feelings are not mutual. 

This terrifying video shot in a game reserve shows the man petting the predatory cats before she snaps. According to reports he was left with serious injuries.

The man is then almost dragged into the enclosure as the big cat yanks away.

Fortunately for him, she let go before his limb was ripped from its socket — or worse still before he became lunch.

‘COME HERE LOVELY, LET DADDY STROKE YOU’

Local newspapers have named the man as 55-year-old South African Pieter Nortjé.

He was reportedly visiting the Tikwe River Lodge for the weekend his wife, Ilze, to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary.

According to news24, shortly before the lioness approached he had said “come here, lovey, let daddy stroke you”.

When the cat strikes, a woman can be heard off camera screaming “he’s biting him, he’s biting him”.

Mr Nortjé is reportedly in a serious condition and suffering from septic shock.

Reports of people being attacked by lions in zoos and game reserves are surprisingly common.

In January we reported how a man was mauled to death in a zoo in India after climbing into an enclosure.

In November a man who had been reportedly drinking had his arm savaged after he stuck his arm through the bar of a lion’s cage.

In May a British safari park owner who was mauled by a lion in South Africa whom he had raised from a cub.

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