Shocking footage has emerged showing the moment a circus trainer was mauled by a lion during a live show in Egypt, leaving him with fatal injuries.
Trainer Islam Shaheen, 35, was filmed motioning at a lion with a stick as another lion climbed up a ladder during the performance in Alexandria.
At that moment, a third lion launches a savage attack on the trainer, rearing up and biting him in the neck as watching children scream in terror.
Other trainers rushed to try and help Shaheen, lying helpless on the ground, by poking the lion with sticks.
As the music cut out abruptly, the only sound was the screams of the panicked crowd fleeing in fright.
Shaheen was rushed to Andalusian Salam hospital but died later from his injuries.
He had worked as a circus trainer for ten years according to his brother.
However he was caught by surprise by the lion that was new to the troupe from South Africa, Al-Arabiya reported.
Mohammed Mustafa, the circus spokesman, said the attack happened as the lion was in the mating season and so behaving erratically.
The lion has been withdrawn from any upcoming shows as a vet checks it over.
The shocking video comes a year after another female lion tamer in Egypt was mauled by one of her animals.
Footage showed Faten El-Helw prancing around the ring and waving to her adoring fans when the big cat suddenly jumped from its stool and lunged at her.
As the panicked audience jump to their feet screaming, the lion tamer was pinned to the ground and bitten in the shoulder.
Amazingly, El-Helw was able to get up and was led to safety while another circus worker coaxed the lions back into their cages.
She suffered a hairline fracture to her pelvis and was rushed to hospital, but survived.
