The moving scene shows the huge predator succumbing to her natural mothering instincts after coming face-to-face with the scared tot.

The huge beast had bared her teeth fiercely before spotting the placid baby staring innocently back at her from the other side of a thick sheet of glass.

The lioness then closed her gaping jaw and offered up her large paw to the girl, gently patting the glass apologetically.

The unknown youngster, who was being held up by her mum, smiled back at the lioness, which lingered by the window for ten minutes.

The breathtaking moment happened at Whipsnade Zoo, near Dunstable, Beds, and was captured by visitor Emma Davies, who was with her one-year-old daughter Paige.

Emma, 30, from Aylesbury, Bucks, said: "I was visiting the zoo with my daughter - she absolutely loves the lions and was sitting in her pushchair giggling at them.

"We were all watching the lions lazing around when one of them caught sight of this baby girl being held up by her mother, and started padding towards us.

"She got right up close to the glass, almost nose to nose with the little girl and suddenly she let out this huge roar.

"She opened up her huge mouth and bared all these sharp pointy teeth at the baby.

"Everyone else around jumped back in fear, but the baby didn't cry or anything - not even a whimper.

"She looked a little bit shocked though, and she stared back at the lioness with these big wide eyes.

"When the lioness saw her face, she stopped growling and looked curiously back at the baby.

"The very next second she was gazing at her with these adoring eyes and patting the glass gently.

"It was very sweet to see, almost a maternal gesture."