South Africa: Lion 'gets revenge' on trophy-hunters who gunned down mate

A video appearing to show a couple of big-game hunters being attacked by the partner of a lion they have just shot dead in South Africa has gone viral on YouTube.

While some viewers are sceptical that the footage is genuine, others express their delight that the big game hunters appear to have got their come-uppance and dismay that the killer of Cecil the lion, Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer did not meet such a fate.

In the video, a khaki-clad man appears to be telling a woman carrying a long rifle how to pose beside the corpse of a lion in a bush setting. As the man returns to the camera the woman screams and another lion appears to chase her out of shot. The man swears and there is the sound of an engine. Finally the lion reappears. It is unclear what happened to the couple.

The video was uploaded by Jayden Taner, who claimed: "I managed to get my hands on this video when I was in South Africa a couple of months ago, a hunter showed me and thought it was hilarious. For me this video highlights a distressing situation that the world needs to see. Every year trophy hunters kill thousands of exotic wild animals in Africa, this combined with poaching poses a serious threat to the survival of our most loved and endangered species. We have to stop this now."

Jayden posts with the hashtag #StopTrophyHunting - and now some viewers think the video is a clever PR stunt. Although the footage itself looks fairly convincing, the couple - particularly the man, who has a strong South African accent - appear to be acting, badly. However, most viewers are indulging in a spot of wishful thinking - and perhaps wishing it had happened to Walter Palmer for real.