Danger! Giant male Lion escapes, stuns motorists

In a jaw-dropping scene that left South African motorists frozen in disbelief, a massive lion escaped from a moving transport truck, climbed onto its roof, and rode along the highway at nearly 60 miles per hour before leaping off and wandering into the bush.

The dramatic escape occurred near Bakerville as the fully grown male lion was being transported from a game farm in Free State Province to its new home at Pamaronons Safaris’ Putfontein reserve in North West Province.

According to The Sun, eyewitness footage showed the huge predator standing majestically atop the speeding grey trailer, its mane whipping in the wind, as drivers scrambled to record the surreal sight.

Moments later, the truck driver, alerted by other motorists, pulled over, just in time for the lion to vault from the roof and land heavily on the tarmac.

“It was quite an extraordinary escape,” said veterinarian Dr. Anton Nel of Lichtenburg Animal Hospital, who was called to the scene.

“The trailer walls were about 2.5 metres high and completely smooth, yet the lion managed to climb up and squeeze through a tiny observation hatch. It must have incredible strength,” he said.

Despite the hard fall, the lion bounced up and calmly trotted along the roadside fence for nearly a mile before settling under a tree.

Still partially sedated from its earlier transport, it remained docile until Dr. Nel arrived with a tranquiliser dart.

“It still had some sedation in its system so was mellow,” Dr. Nel added. “After I darted it again, it lay down peacefully and was reloaded without incident.”