Lion Whisperer gets up close with big cats in South Africa

WHEN most people see two adult lionesses running towards them at full speed, they'd get the hell out of there. But not Kevin Richardson - he waits for a hug.

WHEN most people see two adult lionesses running towards them at full speed, they'd get the hell out of there. But not Kevin Richardson - he waits for a hug.

Richardson - aka the "Lion Whisperer" - regularly gets cuddly with the big cats as well as a cackle of hyenas.

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The South African zoologist teamed with camera company GoPro to produce his latest video where he is pictured rolling around with the lions, scratching them under the chin and even lounging on top of a male lion.

The cameras were strapped to both Richardson and the animals to produce the amazing up-close footage, with Richardson detailing the rapid decline of the big cats.

"I'm trying my damnedest to create awareness," he says in the video.

"People see me interacting with the lions and I think they start to think 'Gee, imagine Africa without lions?'"

To see more of Richardson's work visit the Kevin Richardson Wildlife Sanctuary.