Not A Smart Move, Indeed!! Tourist Gets Too Close to Leopard in Safari Park, Playful Pawing Turns to Leg-Scratching Tension

This is the incredible moment a tourist on a safari experiences a very close encounter with a young leopard that nearly goes wrong.

Close encounter: This fearless tourist on a safari in northern Botswana met a very inquisitive big cat

Close encounter: This fearless tourist on a safari in northern Botswana met a very inquisitive big cat

Reaching out its paw: The young leopard repeatedly touched its paw on the man's shoe 

Reaching out its paw: The young leopard repeatedly touched its paw on the man’s shoe

Aware of the danger, the jeep driver quickly turns on the vehicle to escape.

The feline then can be seen getting away from the vehicle – seemingly scared by the sound of the jeep engine.

Lucky escape: At one point the leopard scratched the tourist's leg and left a small wound - but still the man did not move his foot away from the big cat  

Lucky escape: At one point the leopard scratched the tourist’s leg and left a small wound – but still the man did not move his foot away from the big cat

Checking out the tourists: The young leopard calmly walked up to the safari vehicle to see what was going on 

Checking out the tourists: The young leopard calmly walked up to the safari vehicle to see what was going on

Backing off: It was briefly startled when the driver turned on his engine 

Backing off: It was briefly startled when the driver turned on his engine