WATCH: Lion rescue mission nearly goes terribly wrong in Zimbabwe

Kariba - Wildlife vets were trying to take a snare off a lion in western Zimbabwe but the rescue mission nearly went terribly wrong.

Darted in thick bush right next to a house in Nyamunga township in Kariba, the young lion appeared to be asleep. Wildlife vets from the AWARE Trust moved in cautiously to try to remove the snare.

But as a crowd of several hundred people gathered metres away, the lion opened its eyes and tried to get up again.

The lion had to be given two "top-up" doses of anesthetic before he could be treated.

He was stretchered away from the township. When he was fully recovered, he was released into the bush some distance away.

The snare was wrapped round the lion's paw, tethering him to a tree, AWARE Trust said.

Watch the video here.