A Dutch tourist who survived a terrifying tiger attack in Nepal today told how he heard the animal roar and growl before seeing it charging towards him.
Gerard Van Laar said he was saved by his guide after the jungle attack in the south-west of the country, where he has been travelling since last month.
The pair were hiking in the Bardia National Park on Saturday when the animal struck, Mr Van Laar said.
“I was super lucky to be alive. I would have been dead if it had not been for Krishna,” he said in a reference to his guide.
"All of a sudden I heard a roar and a growl, and the tiger was heading toward us at full speed," he added.
He was able to escape by climbing a tree but his guide was attacked and slightly injured as he ran away to draw the attention of the tiger.
The tiger returned and circled the tree while Mr Van Laar tried to stay as quiet as possible about six metres (20 feet) above the ground.
About two hours later the guide arrived back with help and they shouted and used sticks to drive away the tiger.
The guide was hospitalised for a day but Mr Van Laar was not hurt.
The 33-year-old freelance engineer from Dedemsvaart, Holland, said he thought he would be killed until he was able to climb the tree.
Bardia in south-west Nepal is a protected national forest which is home to about 70 tigers. It is popular and receives thousands of visitors a years, but tiger attacks are rare.
