Video of lioness, Springs boy at 1.6 million hits and counting

When a lioness began scoping out her son, Catherine Higley'smothering instincts kicked in.

But when she picked him up, 1-year-old Trenton got fussy. So hismom let him go backto ogling the lion through the inch-and-a-half-thick glass separating them.

The scene played out at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in late April. Butthis week the moment became an Internet sensation after a YouTubevideo shot by Ryan Higley, Trent's dad, got noticed. It's had morethan a 1.6 million hits.

"Monday morning I checked it out and it was up to a few thousand(hits)," Ryan Higley said. "By the end of the day it was up to100,000. It's crazy."

The Colorado Springs family of three has a year-round pass to thezoo and goes often.

But the Higley parents were surprised when the lion, a 4-year-old named Lomela (incorrectly identifed in the video as a lion namedAngie) pushed her face against the glass and opened her jawsdirectly above Trenton's head.

"I think I realized consciously that it's not going to get out ofthat enclosure," Catherine said. "But seeing that gigantic animalpacing around and stalking my child ... it's still kind of freaky."

Katie Borremans, public relations manager for the zoo, said thethree panels of laminated glass between Trenton and Lomela needed aforklift when installed. Borremans doubts that Lomela's intent wasanything more than playful.

"Our keepers work with animals on the daily basis," she said."They've seen what agression would look like, and that is more of acurious and playful action."

Although Ryan Higley is sure that without the glass, Trentonwould be gone, his son remains an avid animal lover.

"Every time we've gone back to the zoo, he runs right back up tothe glass," Ryan Higley said.