Viral Video Shows Dog Casually Walking Beside Huge Lion Near Human Habitat

A video of an unlikely friendship between a lion and a dog is going viral on social media.

The video was filmed in the Lodhika area of Rajkot district in the western Indian state of Gujarat, The Times of India reported.

The 7-second-long clip showed the dog casually walking beside the predator. Local reports stated the lion had recently ventured into the human habitat, following which the villagers flocked to the place to catch a glimpse of it. The onlookers then clicked some photos and videos of the lion's movement, among which one clip showed the canine's bravery, News 18 reported.

The video obtained by News 18 showed a black dog running to maintain pace with the huge lion as the latter delivers a casual look. The clip has now gone viral on social media, according to the outlet.

Forest officials are of the belief that the lion has never seen a dog, and the canine has also never come across the predator.

The lion sighting occurred in the old Magani village of Lodhika. Farmers spotted the animal when they were going to the paddy fields to protect their summer crops. The farmers then approached the local forest department officials, who started tracking the predator. Forest Department official Sandeep Kumar told the media the lion was sent back to the Gir Sanctuary, a wildlife sanctuary and national park near Talala Gir in Gujarat with an estimated 523 lion population.

The eastern part of Gujarat frequently sees lions walking into the agricultural fields or roads from the nearby forests. The state is witness to hair-raising phenomena such as a pride of lions lounging on the streets or crossing a highway in the middle of the night. Officials of the forest departments are of the belief the lions visit the human dwelling seeking to expand their territory.

In July 2020, the video of a dog scaring off a lion and a lioness had gone viral on social media, with people lauding the canine for being brave. The one-minute video, posted on Twitter by Susanta Nanda of the Indian Forest Services, starts off with the canine staring at the animals before charging at them. After a few moments of a spine-chilling scuffle, the canine manages to frighten both the lion and the lioness away.