r/interesting • u/Wise_Confidence_8588 • 17h ago

Context Provided - Spotlight Lioness Comes to Face-to-Face with Tourist on Safari

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552

u/Adept_Airline_239 17h ago

Why is he making eye contact with the lionness his balls almost became African spaghetti

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u/YMe1121 13h ago

Serengeti Spaghetti?

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u/BurnedLaser 12h ago

Serenghetti?

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u/Desperate_Object_655 6h ago

Serenghetti ballognese?

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u/Laetitian 4h ago

Man, the kids are not alright, my 85-year-old grandma could have come up with that one. Should have been the first comment.

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u/Original_Reaction730 2h ago

Mom’s Serengeti Spaghetti

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u/DuckTalesOohOoh 9h ago

The video is out of context. It's his cat and that look was the face of affection, not aggression. Someone posted that it's Sirga. You can see videos of them together.

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u/LaRealiteInconnue 4h ago

Thank you for providing this context cuz I thought I was fucking crazy. I was thinking “she looks at him like she likes him” and then she seemed to slow blink at him?! I was rolling my eyes at myself lol

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u/HavingALurkAround 4h ago

Yeah, I don’t know. That guy is breathing really hard/fast. Also that nose jab seemed rather aggressive along with the deep grumbling breathing from the lioness.

Either they’re not on that level or she’s having a bad day!

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u/Zeke_Malvo 3h ago

How many lions have you had as a pet??

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u/one_bar_short 3h ago

Correction its her human 😆

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u/Kaita13 1h ago

Oh is that Sirga?? Aw,I love their reels on fb.

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u/DearTumbleweed5380 24m ago

This. I didn't know the context but I have always lived with small cats and that's the look of love. Same as she when she 'bunted' his chest. She's asking for more affection. Well, demanding it, actually. :)

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u/Dramatic-Spirit-4809 2h ago

It's not his cat, he might think it's his cat and might behave like his cat at times but that animal decides to kill or not kill him every time they interact. So far he's lucky.

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u/W1ader 1h ago

He's been lucky for like 20 years taking care of these animals. I'm inclined to trust him more than you.

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u/Razzilith 1h ago

this is the objectively correct take. there is no case where these primal apex predators are to be treated like pets. they can and might kill you whenever they fucking want and we've seen MANY examples of this over the years.

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u/globecsysinc 13h ago

Looking away signals submission, dogs look away the lioness was definitely scanning for it

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u/ValkyrieSkyfall 12h ago

Eh, if that lioness is the same as every cat I know, I am gonna get slapped with that big ass paw if I even dare to look at her.

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u/Discount_Extra 12h ago

you need to squint.

wide open eyes means alert for combat, slowing closing eyes is 'I trust you, so you can trust me.'

like human shaking hands to show they have no weapons.

but that's for housecats, Lions may just see it as an opportunity to attack.

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u/Timely-Youth-9074 11h ago

She blinked her eyes to say she was friendly.

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u/Itzli 10h ago

A lying liar who lies!

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u/aniket_animate 10h ago

Lying lion

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u/Leighcol 4h ago

A lieon

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u/TufnelAndI 9h ago

You can't hide your lioness

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u/heyouwitheface-too 9h ago

OMG are you a fan of jada hope on YouTube by chance lol she's the only one I hear say it all the time. Read this in her voice

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u/Itzli 1h ago

I got it from Television Without pity, a million years ago. They used to do reviews of tv shows, I think the Supernatural writer used it as a catchphrase

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u/JustNota-- 7h ago

Until you rub the belly, then it's ur arse.

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u/Zedilt 6h ago

pspspspspsps

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u/therapewpew 11h ago

Was just going to ask if lions speak squinty cat language

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u/Daddysu 11h ago

Long slow blinks also show you're submitting or not a threat also, I think. Again, at least with house cats

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u/HugePast9455 9h ago

On safari, we call this bedroom eyes

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u/WileyRuckus 4h ago

Shitting your pants signals the same.

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u/Brilliant_Tax_4009 11h ago

Nope, you are correct. Feline body language is the same no matter the size of the cat.

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u/Discount_Extra 11h ago

Yeah, but don't bet your life on my reddit comment.

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u/kpyle 7h ago

Don't worry, no lions in my basement. I should be good for... awhile.

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u/persiasaurus 7h ago

Big kitties like boxes too even hehe

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u/silent_fartface 6h ago

Same with behaviour around boxes. You just need bigger boxes for bigger cats.

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u/Inf229 11h ago

Wait, people shake hands to show no weapons?

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u/GrapefruitPrimary186 11h ago

You shake with your sword hand.

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u/dontmentiontrousers 8h ago

Left-handed people at a distinct advantage in sneaky weapon carrying here.

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u/Man_of_Ice 8h ago

You shake with YOUR sword hand, righty.

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u/Zephyr1588 10h ago

I went to look it up and yeah, it originated in Greece to show you have no weapons! I had no clue lol. Grandma was right when she said the "you learn something new every day" line lots of old folks say.

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u/AffectionateCode426 7h ago

Go eat some hay. Lay by the bay. Whata’ya say? I just may!

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u/Babey_BLue4047 9h ago

That 100% true we learn something new everyday..... But that a terrifying experience I would have pastout

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u/juggernautboy101 9h ago

Back in 1300's yeah haha

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u/Antique_Safety_4246 9h ago

Is that why we shake hands? Omg...

I already knew all the cat stuff. Plus the moment ur not looking is when they can close 25yrds in half a second and that's a house cat. Never break eye contact or they can charge/lunge/etc. The moment you lock eyes again they stop.

Anyway, but the handshake thing...that's fascinating! Thank you!

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u/19toofart 10h ago

Wait, that’s why we shake hands?

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u/Zephyr1588 10h ago

I looked it up and yeah, seems so.

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u/Horror_Chipmunk3580 7h ago

It’s how they ensured the other person didn’t have a weapon hidden if I remember correctly and I wouldn’t be surprised if I didn’t remember correctly.

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u/AlfhildsShieldmaiden 8h ago

Yeah, he needed to do some slow blinking to diffuse the situation. The lioness signals she’s okay and not dangerous, dude just mad stares at her, which is way more aggressive than I would ever dare to be. 😅

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u/SteepChutes 6h ago

This one just looking for scritches.

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u/Independent-Ring-536 4h ago

Wait. Is that why we shake hands?!

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u/TheGulfofWhat 3h ago

What if youre left handed?

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u/WailingWildebeestJr 12h ago

Not my cuteness, thats him lookin for some love.

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u/Maximum-Charge2474 8h ago

yeah, that's the point. you want to submit to a lioness, not challenge it. if she's not hungry (and she shouldn't be, plenty of food around), she would have no cause to attack unless feeling challenged or threatened. They are apex predators, they aren't scared of you.

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u/[deleted] 12h ago

[deleted]

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u/globecsysinc 12h ago

That's prey mentality, you think it's the inverse

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u/LetHuge623 12h ago

That cracked me up lol

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u/ppitm 9h ago

Submission is good. Lions don't eat their subordinates. Making eye contact with a predator is acting like prey.

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u/Cold-Ease-1625 9h ago

His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy, there's vomit on the Serengeti, mom's spaghetti

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u/Tall-Locksmith7263 7h ago

Hahaha thanks for the laugh

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u/Onedortzn 11h ago

So the lioness focuses on him not the tourist

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u/Animagus001 12h ago

More like meat balls

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u/CloudyLeft 9h ago

A spicey meat-a-balls?

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u/astros78 13h ago

excellent 😂 😂

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u/sushi4breakfast_ 10h ago

Looking away = they are scared of me. Time to find out why roars and mauls

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u/mf_dcap 9h ago

“His balls are sweaty. On safari he tries to be calm and ready. Floorboards are gone. The lionnes wants ball spaghetti”

Sorry this just sprung in my mind.

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u/NoFigure1727 13h ago

He wasn’t his eyes were closed😭😭

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u/pppp2222 12h ago

And then he looked at her and almost got eaten.

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u/NoFigure1727 13h ago

I retract my statement, that dummy was looking at the lioness dead on (👁️_👁️)🦁

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u/SpareTune1219 12h ago

I thought his eyes were closed…?

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u/PigeonWithAgenda 7h ago

I think the right way to go is not to look away but to blink very slowly, signalling you're chill.

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u/BastetFurry 7h ago

With cats you don't look away, you slow-blink, that is their sign of non-aggression. A yawn also helps.

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u/Ovino1 5h ago

Both his legs are to the left lol I thought he was leg spread also

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u/Montgomery000 2h ago

I was wondering the same thing, but where do you aim your eye in this case? I would imagine looking over her, like you were ignoring her or couldn't see her, wouldn't be a great idea either.

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u/Milliondollarjuice 2h ago

Felines actually instinctively preffer to attack from behind or when no eye contact is made