Lions escape enclosure at Australian zoo, scaring visitors
A group of lions briefly escaped their enclosure at an Australian zoo Wednesday, causing guests to rush to safety.
Guests participating in the Taronga Zoo’s overnight “Roar and Snore” were awakened by staffers stressing the urgency of the situation around 6:30 a.m. when video showed the loose lions, according to reports.
“They came running into the tent area saying: ‘This is a Code One, get out of your tent and run, come now and leave your belongings behind,’” one guest, Magnus Perri, told 9 News Australia.
He said the guests were brought into a building and counted before the doors were locked.
A male lion and four cubs had gotten out of their area and wandered around, but were prevented from going further by a six-foot fence.
The zoo said four of the lions went back to their area and one of the cubs was tranquilized and brought back. The animals were moved to a more secure part of the zoo while an investigation into their escape is conducted.
No injuries were reported.
