Terrifying video shows tourist being attacked by tiger during photo op: 'That's his nature'

A viral video from MustShareNews (@mustsharenews) shows how an apex predator isn't the animal to put on a leash for a photo op. Unfortunately, one unlucky tourist found this out the hard way at a Thailand park "said to treat tigers like pets."

The candid video starts with a tourist walking the calm tiger on a leash. A few seconds in, the trainer pokes the cat with a stick to get it to sit. The animal's calm demeanor quickly dissipates as it lunges at the tourist.

@mustsharenews The park was said to treat tigers like "pets", allowing visitors to get close for photos and interactions. #mustsharenews #tiktoksg #fypsg #fypsgp ♬ original sound - MustShareNews

Like bears and lions, tigers are classified as apex predators — they top the food chain in their ecosystems. However, humans can harm the largest cat in the world by hunting or keeping it in captivity in a home or petting zoo.

Per Time, the popular Netflix show "Tiger King" revealed how one could easily buy, sell, and breed these wild cats without catching the attention of law enforcement. Sadly, tigers are so popular that the World Wildlife Fund reports that there are more than 5,000 captive tigers in the United States and over 8,000 in Asia — far outnumbering the 3,900 remaining in the wild.

At least the U.S.' Big Cat Public Safety Act became law in 2022, finally creating a federal mandate for regulation. However, every owner hasn't registered their wild cat as required.

Beyond homes and zoos, visitor videos from national parks — where signs state clear warnings — often show that humans forget the best way to interact with a wild animal is to not do so at all. In one case, a startled grazing oryx charged when tourists got too close. Another careless tourist left their car to photograph a bear only steps away.

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Staying at least 100 meters from predators is the best approach, per the National Park Service. So, get a zoom lens for your photo op — not a leash to walk the creature.

Despite poor human behavior, the animal often suffers the worst punishment through euthanasia — even if the attack was provoked. That's why many of the nearly 15,000 comments asked if the tiger was OK.

"They blame the tiger. … That's his nature," one said.

Another remarked: "So tired of people treating animals like toys. They deserve better."