A 10-year-old girl has been mauled by a lion at a Chinese zoo after it grabbed her while she was feeding it through bars. 

The horrific incident last Thursday unfolded at Shantou Zhongshan Park Zoo in Guangdong, China, after a zookeeper had taken the girl into a designated safety buffer zone to feed the lioness – despite her being too young to take part. 

Footage of the attack showed her offering the animal food through the cage, when it suddenly thrust its paw through a gap in the cage and grabbed her clothing. 

The girl can be heard screaming in terror as the lion snagged her trouser leg and pulled the girl towards it. 

A zookeeper rushed in to help, holding her tightly as he attempted to pry her free from the predator’s clasp. 

The keeper then picked up a metal rod from the ground and repeatedly jabbed at the beast in an attempt to force it to loosen its grip on the child.

After a dramatic struggle lasting nearly 30 seconds, he finally managed to wrench her from the big cat’s claws. 

The zookeeper in question who brought the young girl into the feeding pen despite her being underage has since been suspended and reassigned. 

This is the terrifying moment a lion grabbed a 10-year-old girl’s leg and pulled her towards its cage

The zookeeper held her tightly and tried to prize her off the lion, which had latched onto her with its paws 

The girl was eventually freed and taken to hospital, miraculously only sustaining minor abrasions to her leg 

Staff believe the lioness lashed out after spotting meat in the girl’s hand. 

The 10-year-old girl was taken to hospital for checks, but only suffered minor abrasions to her leg after the terrifying ordeal. 

After receiving a rabies vaccination, she left with her parents, who reportedly do not hold the zoo responsible. 

The zoo, known for its interactive animal-feeding experiences, was temporarily closed.