By OLIVIA ALLHUSEN

Published: 12:03 BST, 30 May 2025 | Updated: 12:07 BST, 30 May 2025

This is the shocking moment a man is mauled by a huge tiger after trying to take a selfie with it in Thailand. 

Alarming video footage shows the excited tourist crouching beside the animal and putting his arm around its back before it pounces on him.

The man is knocked onto the ground and can be heard screaming in terror as the tiger’s handler desperately tries to wrestle it from on top of him.

The trainer tussles with the powerful predator for a few heart-stopping seconds before he’s able to subdue it.

Earlier in the clip, the tourist could be seen confidently leading the animal by a rope as he strokes its fur – completely unaware of the brutal attack which is about to occur.

A video of the incident has gone viral, with viewers taking to the comments section to share their thoughts of what happened.

One person wrote: ‘Cats usually don’t like being petted on the lower (back) body.

‘This man was petting the tiger continuously near the above-mentioned body area, which must have frustrated the tiger. 

‘The final straw was when the man cupped it for a photo.’

This is the shocking moment a man is mauled by a huge tiger after trying to take a selfie with it in Thailand

This is the shocking moment a man is mauled by a huge tiger after trying to take a selfie with it in Thailand

Alarming video footage shows the excited tourist crouching beside the animal and putting his arm around its back before it pounces on him

Alarming video footage shows the excited tourist crouching beside the animal and putting his arm around its back before it pounces on him

Earlier in the clip the tourist could be seen confidently leading the animal by a rope as he strokes its fur - completely unaware of the brutal attack which is about to occur

Earlier in the clip the tourist could be seen confidently leading the animal by a rope as he strokes its fur – completely unaware of the brutal attack which is about to occur

Another added: ‘The chilling video exposes a dangerous trend wherein tourists get lured into risky photo-ops with tigers in Thailand.’

A third said: ‘It’s not the petting (even though that’s also dumb and ill-advised) it’s him holding the tiger across its back when he poses for the pic. 

‘Cats do not like to be restrained. 

‘The cat could also interpret it as a sign of dominance over it.’

Fortunately, the man only sustained minor injuries following the incident at the famous Tiger Kingdom in Phuket.

This isn’t the only time a tourist has suffered the consequences of trying to interact with a wild animal recently.

Earlier this month a hippo knocked down a holidaymaker after she ignored a man’s warning not to approach it.

Footage shows the enraged beast charging at the woman before using its head to ram her face-first to the ground as bystanders watch on in horror.

The man screams is knocked onto the ground and can be heard screaming in terror as the tiger's handler desperately tries to wrestle predator away

The man screams is knocked onto the ground and can be heard screaming in terror as the tiger’s handler desperately tries to wrestle predator away

Fortunately, the man only sustained minor injuries following the incident at the famous Tiger Kingdom in Phuket

Fortunately, the man only sustained minor injuries following the incident at the famous Tiger Kingdom in Phuket

The person behind the camera can be heard shouting, ‘he’s going to charge’ and telling a child ‘this is what you call an idiot’ as the woman moves closer to the animal.

‘She’s not listening,’ the child responds as the rotund creature barrels towards her, slamming her into the grass and fleeing the scene in St Lucia on Tuesday night.

The cameraman shouts, ‘you’re stupid’ as the stunned woman gets to her feet and staggers away, leaning on a man for support.

The video, posted on the Facebook page ‘St Lucia News’ said there were ‘warnings posted all over town’ but that ‘people still take stupid risks when approaching the hippos’.

Another Facebook page, Unofficial: Into the Wild, added: ‘Visitors are told by lodge, guesthouse owners, and businesses to stay far back from the hippos.

‘But some people just don’t listen. They are very lucky they weren’t seriously hurt or killed. They have now made a hippo potentially more aggressive to humans by their foolish behavior. Stay back people.’

According to local media, the tourists involved were ordered out of St Lucia, and accommodation establishments advised them not to take future bookings from them.

‘They were given an hour to vacate town or face law enforcement proceedings,’ reported the Zululand Observer.

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Shocking moment man is mauled by a TIGER after trying to take a selfie with it

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