Man reunites with lion he saved seven years earlier — what happens next stuns everyone
Wildlife expert Kevin Richardson risked approaching lions he rescued as cubs to see if they still remembered him
Seven years after rescuing two lion cubs from drowning, animal behaviorist Kevin Richardson — known as “The Lion Whisperer” — reunited with the grown lions in the wild, defying warnings to stay away. What happened next was caught on camera.
Years ago, Kevin Richardson discovered two lion cubs, Meg and Amy, struggling to survive after being abandoned by their mother and nearly drowning in a river. Without his help, the cubs would likely have died or fallen prey to poachers.
Richardson, a South African wildlife conservationist, raised the cubs by hand, forming a bond that went far beyond typical human–animal relationships. “Meg and Aimee are kind of my soulmates,” he said. “You meet many people in life, but there are few you connect with wholeheartedly.”
The “Lion Whisperer” returns to the wild
After years in rehabilitation, Meg and Amy were released into a protected area of the African savannah, where they learned to hunt and live independently. Richardson later set out to find them again for a short documentary — uncertain how they would react after years apart.
At first, the lions appeared aggressive toward the film crew, their instincts fully restored. Despite the risk, Richardson decided to approach one of them himself, equipped with a small camera to capture the reunion.
In a moment that stunned viewers, one of the lions spotted Richardson, leapt into the water, and ran straight toward him — not with hostility, but affection. The footage shows the enormous lion embracing him as though no time had passed.
The clip, filmed around the 3:18 mark of the video, has since drawn millions of views online, showing the deep connection between humans and the animals they protect.
Today, fewer than 20,000 wild lions remain in Africa, and Richardson continues to use his platform to raise awareness about the threats they face. His reunion with Meg and Amy underscores the importance of preserving wildlife and the emotional intelligence these animals possess.
“Anyone who’s had the privilege of being close to these animals understands how vital it is that they’re protected,” Richardson said.
