The heart-stopping video shows a motorcyclist halting his bike in the middle of the forest after spotting an endangered Asiatic lion.

Shocking phone footage depicted the biker riding along the dark forest path in the Gir National Park, in India’s state of Gujarat, when the wild feline suddenly emerged out of nowhere earlier this week.

The motorcyclist swiftly halted the vehicle, after which the Asiatic lion began strolling down the road and towards him before unexpectedly making a turn to the right.

The animal can then be seen jumping onto a nearby wall and proceeding forwards, without making contact with the biker.

The clip triggered an avalanche of reactions after Dr P. M. Dhakate, Chief Conservator of Forests of the Indian Forest Service (IFS), shared it on his X profile.

Dhakate said: “Co-existence: A biker encounters an Asiatic lion on the road. This majestic creature, found only in Gir Forest, calmly passes by.

“This video reminds us that coexistence is possible. Respect for wildlife creates a shared space where humans and animals can thrive.”

X user ‘@TheReviewPicker’ said: “I might be wrong but I feel it would have been different behavior with [a] tiger? [A] leopard wouldn’t have come that close.”

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Then user ‘@raju12914’ commented: “Co-existence is possible only if we remain in our den and let them in theirs and not by staying that close.

“It is their nature to kill other mammals for food. Don’t know why they stayed idle instead of driving fast?”

And ‘@Prajwal68252868’ added: “Amazing creature.”

The video has reached more than 5,800 views as of 20th March.

The Asiatic lion (Panthera leo leo), also known as the Persian lion can be found in the Gir National Park and the surrounding areas of the state.

It is listed as ‘Endangered’ on IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species with around 650 individuals living in the wild as of 2017.