Many of you have likely already seen this YouTube video shot by Ephraim and Christy Smethers (and fair warning, it’s graphic in the same way that many nature shows are) of a deer being attacked by a lion at the National Zoo yesterday. The deer, which had presumably wandered in to the Zoo from neighboring Rock Creek Park, managed to run inside the lion habitat, and the lions, being lions, went after the young animal like it was a tasty snack.

The chase went on for as much as 20 minutes, according to witnesses who spoke to the Post, right in front of Zoo visitors on a busy, beautiful Sunday afternoon. Eventually Zoo officials got the lions inside and removed the injured deer from the enclosure. A subsequent examination found that the animal would not survive its injuries, so it was euthanized, according to the Post.

Zoo officials are describing the incident as “highly unusual.” I’ll say. Were any readers actually at the Zoo yesterday?