A playful video showing Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail interacting with a white tiger cub has gone viral online, drawing millions of views and a wave of reactions from social media users.
The short video was uploaded to Tunku Ismail’s Instagram account on Sept. 29. In the footage, the crown prince can be seen riding a personal mobility device known as a Skudamodo inside an enclosure while the young white tiger follows and chases after him.
The video, which was set to the song “Hakuna Matata,” showed the tiger cub moving around the enclosure as Tunku Ismail rode ahead of it. Several horses could also be seen in the background, suggesting that the footage may have been recorded at an equestrian or animal facility.
The location of the encounter was not disclosed. Tunku Ismail’s post also did not provide details about the white tiger, other than the caption “Luna,” which appears to be the cub’s name.
The unusual interaction quickly caught the attention of viewers. Within days of being uploaded, the video had accumulated more than 1.7 million views, with users leaving comments about the cub’s appearance and the unusual scene involving the Johor royal.
Some commenters described the white tiger as adorable, while others joked about the crown prince’s apparent comfort around the animal. One user called the encounter one of Tunku Ismail’s most memorable social media moments, while another referred to the tiger as resembling a giant domestic cat.
The video was also reported to have attracted thousands of reactions shortly after it was initially shared. Local reports said the post received more than 3,000 likes within about 30 minutes of being uploaded.
The relaxed interaction has attracted particular interest because white tigers are uncommon and their distinctive appearance often makes them a popular attraction. The cub shown in the video appeared comfortable moving around the enclosure as Tunku Ismail travelled nearby on his small personal vehicle.
Tunku Ismail, who is both the Crown Prince and Regent of Johor, has a large following on social media, where he frequently shares glimpses of his activities, interests and life in Johor.
His latest video quickly spread beyond his own followers, with viewers sharing and commenting on the unusual encounter. The post’s simple caption, “Luna,” also prompted curiosity about the tiger cub and where it is being kept.
Interestingly, Tunku Ismail has previously used the tiger as a metaphor when speaking about himself.
In 2018, while announcing his resignation as president of the Football Association of Malaysia, he compared himself to a tiger and said that tigers should work with other tigers rather than sheep.
That previous reference has resurfaced in discussions surrounding the latest video, with some social media users drawing their own playful connections between his past comments and his interaction with the white tiger cub.
Despite the attention surrounding the footage, Tunku Ismail has not publicly disclosed where it was filmed or provided further information about Luna. The video itself appears to have been shared primarily as a lighthearted glimpse of his interaction with the young animal.
The viral clip has since become another widely discussed social media post involving the Johor royal, with viewers focusing on the rare sight of a white tiger cub following a member of the Malaysian royal family around an enclosure.
As the video continues to circulate online, the identity and background of Luna remain largely undisclosed, leaving the brief encounter itself as the main focus of public interest.
