A four-year-old girl is in an induced coma after her 'scalp was ripped off' and her 'skull clawed' by a lioness while she was in her father's arms.
Dina-Marie de Beer visited Weltevrede Lion Farm in South Africa with her family on Sunday so she could pet a lion cub.
As her father, Pieter, held her, a young lioness grabbed the pair through the fence, Netwerk 24 reported.
Pieter reportedly sustained minor injuries, but Dina-Marie's scalp was ripped off and her skull 'penetrated' by the lion's claw, local media reports.
On Monday, Dina-Marie's skull was removed to relieve pressure on her brain at Netcare Union Hospital in Alberton, where she was airlifted after the incident.
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A tour guide at the farm confirmed the attack and told The Independent that the father and daughter “got a bit too close, the lion grabbed him through the fence”.
He added that he hoped the child would have “a quick recovery”.
The farm's manager told News 24 that it was a "freak accident."
Two young sisters were attacked at the same lion farm in 2010, Beeld Newspaper reported.
The girls, aged three and five, were attacked after the youngest girl bent down to pet one of the lions.
An eight-month-old lioness reportedly jumped on her from behind and got hold of her ponytail.
Another lioness bit her older sister on the buttock while her mum was carrying her on her hip.
The children were treated for light injuries.
Weltevrede Lion Farm is the same location where a video of a hyena cackling with joy while being tickled that went viral on social media, was recorded in 2016, Business Insider reported.
Mirror Online has commented the lion farm for comment.
