To keep feeding time interesting, the Dierenrijk Zoo in the Netherlands puts meat inside of a barrel as a way to help stimulate the three young lions. Unfortunately, one of them experienced a bit of bad luck during this instance after getting the barrel stuck right on his head! Luckily a zookeeper eventually managed to cut it off, with no harm done.
A lion had an unfortunate accident when it got its head stuck in a feeding barrel at a zoo in the Netherlands. Captured by a visitor to the Dierenrijk zoo, the lion can be seen inserting its head into the barrel and attempting to retrieve a piece of meat.
Zoo keepers place food in barrels to stimulate the lions, as it replicates the challenges faced when the animals feed in the wild. The animal, hoping to beat two other lions to the food, reaches in too far and suddenly gets its head stuck.
Reacting in a panic the lion jumps backwards and attempts to flick the barrel from its head as the other lions chase after it. Visitors to the zoo can be heard laughing hysterically while the lion desperately tries to set itself free.
One lion appears to come to the rescue by jumping up and standing on the barrel while the lion pulls from the ground. But unfortunately the animal is unable to free its head and the other two lions walk around looking perplexed.
Feeling sorry for itself, the distressed lion stands alone in the corner before turning and running frantically towards the zoo’s visitors. The video concludes with the lion looking well and truly fed up as it lies on the ground, exhausted by its failed attempts to break free.
According to the video maker, the lion was eventually freed from the barrel and it was unharmed. He said: ‘To make feeding a little bit more exciting for the lions they [the keepers] put meat in a barrel with two small openings.
The lions had to get the meat out of the barrel through the holes. Instead one lion put his head through a hole and got stuck. He was walking around and bumped into some objects. He became exhausted, but is basically still all right.
After closing time, a veterinarian came and anaesthetized the lion. The barrel was cut off and the lion did not have any injuries. He is happily walking around again.
