South African game reserve plays tricks on runners with stuffed lion

Runners taking on the two-day trail run through Africa's oldest game reserve are told to prepare for anything, however that didn't stop them being caught out by this prank.

The iMfolozi Outrun which takes place in South Africa's Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park covers 32 km of wild African savanna meaning the chance of encountering elephants, zebras, giraffes and even lions is very high.

The lure of seeing the 'big 5' on this safari on foot draw around 300 competitors for the inaugural event.

Costing around NZ$200 the event is a fund raiser aiming to raise at least R100 000 ($10510) for the running of the reserve.

For their safety numbers were capped at 300 to give park wardens a chance to keep track of the runners, who were advised to run in pairs or groups.

While competitors take the event seriously, race felt they needed to remind them that it is in fact a "fun run".

The team thought it would be the perfect opportunity to prank the participants.

Positioning a stuffed lion out on the trail they wanted to give the runners the fright of their lives.

"Are we going to be famous" asks one passer by, unaware of the lion.

"Yes, you are!" says the camera man as the runner is sent into a panic by the stuffed animal.

Another literally jumps a foot in the air, having seen what she thought was a hungry big cat.

Not all the wildlife on the trail were stuffed.

On the second day of the race runners were stopped to let a herd of 20 elephants across the track.

A large portion of our runners got to experience a large herd of breeding Elephant within the last kilometer. Here the Anti Poaching Unit help in moving the herd off the route in order to allow the runners to continue.

Posted by Imfolozi Outrun on Saturday, 31 August 2019

The pack of giant pachyderms had to be moved by the park's anti-poaching unit, as they were holding up the race in the final kilometre.

None of the competitors were eaten by wild animals and who raised a minimum of R500 each to go to the IMPI Foundation Trust.

The iMfolozi aims to be back for a second year in 2020.