SYDNEY — Five lions have been returned to their enclosure after they were found outside their exhibit at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo.
In a statement, the zoo confirmed that five lions — one adult and four cubs — were observed in a small area outside of their main exhibit. Zoo officials said that despite being outside of their enclosure, the lions were still separated from the rest of the zoo by a six-foot fence.
Officials said that they enacted the zoo’s emergency response plan less than 10 minutes after the lions escaped, and the lions were confirmed to be back inside their enclosure shortly after, Reuters reported.
The zoo said in its statement that all people who were on-site at the zoo were moved to safe zones as the animals were moved back. Officials said that four of the lions calmly returned to their dens, while one cub was safely tranquilized.
— Taronga Zoo (@tarongazoo) November 1, 2022
There was a group of guests staying overnight as part of the zoo’s “Roar and Snore” experience, who described being told to leave quickly, The Washington Post reported.
“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,” Magnus Perri, a guest, told local media, The Washington Post reported. “They opened the door [to a building], everyone got in, they counted us, and they locked the door.”
There are seven lions — an adult couple and their five cubs — who live at the zoo, Reuters reported.
In an update to its statement, the zoo said an initial review of the incident showed “an integrity issue with a containment fence” allowed the lions to escape. Officials said the lions would remain off display while the zoo continues to review what happened.
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