Terrifying moment lion lunges at toddler from behind glass

Video has captured the moment a massive lion charged and lunged at a toddler, separated from the beast by only a glass wall.

The enclosure's thick glass partition stopped the king of the jungle from making lunch of the two-year-old at the Chiba Zoological Park in Japan, east of Tokyo.

Parents captured the close encounter on video after the little boy stared at the lion sitting still on the grass in his enclosure.

The toddler turns his back on the beast who can then be seen charging toward the boy, only to slam into the glass barrier.

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After the initial surprise, the boy can be heard chuckling at the big cat.

The glass display was installed to the enclosure in April, to allow zoo visitors a chance to get a closer look at the animals, according to Japanese television news station NTV News 24.

Zookeepers told the local news station the cheeky animal "has a habit of frolicking when he sees small children because he wants to play with them".