A Pakistani YouTuber has faced criticism after a video showed him petting a cheetah, which then scratched him.
Nouman Hassan, known for posting videos with tigers and other wild animals, is seen sitting on a sofa in a living room with a cheetah between him and another man.
Nouman Hassan was scratched by the cheetah in the viral video.
Watch the viral video here:Throughout the video, the captive cheetah remains seated on the sofa.
Keeping wild animals as pets is illegal in India, as the country's wildlife laws prohibit private ownership to protect endangered species.
A Pakistani YouTuber has faced criticism after a video showed him petting a cheetah, which then scratched him. Nouman Hassan, known for posting videos with tigers and other wild animals, is seen sitting on a sofa in a living room with a cheetah between him and another man. Nouman Hassan was scratched by the cheetah in the viral video. (Instagram/nouman.hassan1)
As Hassan pets the cheetah's head, the big cat suddenly scratches him. Startled, Hassan quickly gets up and moves away from the animal.
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Despite the incident, Hassan and the other men in the room begin to laugh, with Hassan touching his neck where the cheetah scratched him and saying, "Very friendly, very friendly," while laughing.
Watch the viral video here:
Throughout the video, the captive cheetah remains seated on the sofa.
The video has over 91 million views since he posted it earlier this week.
People who watched the stunt slammed the man for his act.
“It is a wild animal, not a pet. Respect animals,” a user said.
Another user said that the cheetah's claws were clipped. “If not, (the cheetah) would slid his neck open,” the person said.
“So cruel for this beautiful animal. It should be in its natural environment. Just so cruel,” a user named Catherine commented.
Nouman Hassan, who has over nine million subscribers on YouTube and over two million followers on Instagram, had gotten into trouble with authorities in Pakistan in the past after he was seen walking a tiger on a leash in Lahore.
On Friday, he posted another video of him teasing the cheetah with a cushion.
“Poor cheetah, you all are teasing him,” an Instagram user said in the comments section.
Keeping wild animals as pets is illegal in India, as the country's wildlife laws prohibit private ownership to protect endangered species.
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