This African lion at a zoo has been nicknamed ‘The Beggar Lion' for his scruffy appearance and refusal to bathe.

Zhuannian, the eight-year-old male African lion at Quinling Mountain Zoo in Guiyang, China, reportedly dislikes water.

Footage shows the lion with a clumped mane streaked with grey-green hues, roaring at his enclosure on August 21.

In another clip, he can be seen pacing around his area.

Keepers said he has resisted every attempt to wash him over the past two years, even baring his teeth at water jets.

A zoo spokesman said: 'After any forced cleaning, Zhuannian would roll in the mud to undo it and has even smashed three high-pressure water gun nozzles with his paws.

'His enclosure is located in a humid forest, which contributes to his tangled mane, and his body became dirty over time because he rolls in sand and mud baths, a natural behaviour lions use to ward off insects.'

The zoo published a medical report showing that the lion's weight, temperature, and parasite levels are all normal.

Veterinary experts said that wild lions rarely bathe and that tangled manes are natural, posing no health risk.

Zoo officials are now experimenting with low-pressure hoses, planting thorny plants for natural grooming, and using peppermint-scented enrichment to encourage the lion to rub against tree trunks.

Visitor numbers surged by 300 per cent on August 23, as crowds flocked to see the internet-famous 'Beggar Lion.'