Scary video shows panther ready to pounce after parent risks child's life at wild animal enclosure: 'One of them was about to launch'

One viral video reminds us how vital it is to keep your distance from wildlife.

In the video posted on TikTok by UnboxwithT (@theonlyunboxwitht), a Florida panther kept at Gatorland in Orlando looks ready to pounce at a child who climbed to sit on the ledge of the enclosure.

@theonlyunboxwitht We had been standing there watching those cats chase eachother around for a good 30 minutes. you can literally SEE the moment when they both noticed that kid and stopped dead in their tracks. we could literally see them click the "play" switch off and turn the "hunt" switch on! #gatorland #gatorlandorlando #orlando #onthisday #orlandovacation ♬ original sound - unboxwitht

"You can literally see the point when both these cats notice at the same exact time the dumba** kid sitting on the ledge that is clearly labeled 'do not lean on, climb on, or sit on this ledge,'" the original poster wrote.

In response to the video, hundreds of users expressed the terror they felt while watching it.

One commenter sarcastically reminded us, "It's almost like…they're wild animals or something."

It is always advised to keep your distance from wild animals. Even if they look timid, most of them can get aggressive when they perceive danger, which is why numerous videos showcasing animal attacks populate the internet.

Leave No Trace, a nonprofit that seeks to educate about human interference in wildlife, explained the issue best: "As more and more people spend time in nature, human-wildlife conflicts are on the rise. And, while most people who visit natural areas believe they know how to respect and protect the creatures who live there, the actions they exhibit sometimes undercut their good intentions."

Part of what it means to protect wildlife is in how we approach wild animals. Leave No Trace reminds us to observe wildlife from a distance, never feed animals, control pets at all times in wild spaces, and avoid wildlife during sensitive times like mating, nesting, raising young, or in the winter.

Conservation areas, in particular, are consistently faced with difficulties from human visitors. Ignoring Leave No Trace principles often results in animals getting habituated to human interactions, putting both humans and wildlife in unsafe situations. Wildlife that are habituated are more susceptible to being harmed by vehicles, becoming dependent on humans for food, and transferring diseases to visitors.

It's paramount that those visiting wildlife learn to keep their distance from animals.

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"I hate it when people do this stuff at zoos and aquariums," wrote one commenter. "The animals don't want to be bothered. They're still unpredictable, captive or not."

Another noted the riskiness of the young visitor's actions: "One of them was about to launch, but the other stopped her," she explained.

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