Do Not Approach A Lion

I've read about three injuries and fatalities involving lions recently.
1 Article in the Sunday Times described regret of a mother that she let herself be persuaded by zoo owner to let her son into a lion's cage where he was injured and scarred.
2 Woman in Africa is killed while making love outdoors.
3 Female intern is killed in USA.
They had to kill the lion because they were trying to get into its cage to remove the injured woman.
I am shocked that people handling lions have no protective clothing or defensive items visible.
They need protective gloves. Protective clothes. A helmet covering the neck. Thick body armour like the sort worn by motorcyclists. Metal boots.
A shield. In the UK a council employee told me every London borough has a suit to wear to deal with rabid dogs.
What safety measures are inside the cage? Meat to throw as a distraction - containing sleep-inducing drugs.
A tranquilizer on the body of the person entering the cage to activate to defend themselves?
A blanket or net to fall from the ceiling to trap the lion?
A sign warning DO NOT ENTER CAGE.
In Las Vegas you see one, two or three persons in a large enclosure with lions in the centre of the hotel behind glass, throwing balls at the lions. At least with three people in the cage two could go to the rescue of the third.
Not the first time.
A woman died at a Malaysian zoo where you are photographed beside a lion which is kept attached to a chain and has a minder. The woman slipped on wet leaves. Presumably the sudden movement startled the lion. It bit her. Can't remember whether she died instantly or later. I'd just visited that zoo and decided against having my photo taken beside the lion.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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