A man who thought a slowly approaching warthog was anything like Pumbaa from the 1994 animated film The Lion King learned the hard way.
It’s unclear where and when this interaction occurred, but the man quickly discovered why he should have started backing up, instead of considering whether or not he could pet the warthog. “Wonder if we can pet him,” the victim ponders before getting his answer. Moments before the attack, the person who accompanied him asks someone about petting the warthog, and receives a definitive “no.” The message is repeatedly relayed, but by then, it was too late.
According to AZ Animals, warthogs aren’t considered aggressive and don’t usually pose a threat to humans. However, they’re still wild animals and should be respected by humans. When an attack occurs, the warthog must have felt the need to defend itself because it was either threatened or cornered.
AZ Animals also points out that humans pose a severe threat to warthogs due to overhunting in certain areas.
As for this particular situation, it’s unclear what provoked the warthog to attack. Still, Twitter was quick to mention that the portrayal of Pumbaa in Lion King doesn’t match up with how the real animal acts in public. A more accurate depiction may be what occurred after one of the hyenas referred to him as a pig, and not Mister Pig.
Check out how Twitter called upon The Lion King and even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in response to this hilarious viral video.
