Indian-Australian girl recalls lion attack

Sydney: After the death of a US tourist on June 2 at the Lion Park in Johannesburg, an Indian- Australian school girl, Neha Sharma, recalled how she was mauled by lions in South Africa, as reported by the media.

Sharma's horrific experience was made public in an effort to improve safety standards and protect other tourists from similar lion attacks, the daily said.

Sharma recalled how a park ranger at the Kudus Rus game lodge, near Johannesburg, led her into a cage of five lions before her parents could follow her.

She was suddenly encircled by the animals, who blocked the cage gate and then attacked her.

The ranger pretended to be dead while the lions attacked the girl inside the enclosure.

"The lions were as tall as me and attacked my head… I could hear lions' teeth crunching on my head and biting my arms and chest. While I was passing out I could hear mum and dad screaming for help," she said.

"Neha regained consciousness and was able to fight off the lions and flee the enclosure although she has no recollection of this," said her father.

Receiving extensive injuries on her head, neck, chest, thighs and arms, Sharma spent five days in a hospital in South Africa after undergoing surgery.

She has not yet returned to school and continues to be treated weekly by a psychologist and plastic surgeon at The Children's Hospital at Westmead in Sydney. (IANS)