The park authorities were unable to save the lioness from its injuries (Representational image)

Visitors at a safari park in the UK were left horrified after a lion attacked another lioness and killed her ‘almost instantly’ on New Year’s Day. According to a BBC report, the safari park staff immediately rushed to the spot but, despite their best efforts, they were unable to save the lioness from its injuries.

Meanwhile, visitors said they were taken away from the enclosure due to an unknown major incident. One guest even posted on social media that they were held up in the enclosure and could see a lioness not moving on the floor, injured, according to a Metro report.

Longleat Safari Park later confirmed that this was due to the death of a lioness. The park also confirmed that the incident took place on 1 January 2023.

A spokesperson told Metro.co.uk, ”This weekend (1st January 2023) saw one of the lionesses at Longleat sadly killed by another lion. This kind of incident is very rare but can naturally occur amongst apex predators. It happened incredibly quickly, with the lioness dying almost instantly.

Our professional keepers were immediately on the scene, however, the timescales involved meant there was no possibility of intervention. There was no risk to guests.”

The incident comes just weeks after two rare red panda cubs at the safari park died when temperatures dropped below freezing. Twins Tala and Sumi, who were born in early summer, were found dead in their nesting box at the Wiltshire safari park, according to a BBC report. It is thought they died from hypothermia, a spokesman for the park said.

WATCH: