Lions escape Australia zoo enclosure after issue with containment fence, guests rushed to safety

Five lions at the popular Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, managed to briefly escape their enclosure early Wednesday in what the facility described as an “emergency situation.” 

The alarming exit prompted the zoo to sound a “code one” alert, with police rushing guests of the “Roar and Snore” overnight stay program to safety.

At 6:30 a.m. local time, one adult male lion and four cubs were located outside their main exhibit. 

The lions were found in a small area adjacent to the exhibit, where a 6-foot fence separated them from the rest of the zoo. 

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“The Zoo has strict safety protocols in place for such an incident. All persons on site were moved to safe zones and there are no injuries to guests or staff,” Taronga said in a Twitter post. “All animals are now in their exhibit where they are being closely monitored. The Zoo will be open as normal today.”

In a follow-up, the zoo explained that immediate action was taken. 

Four of the lions calmly returned to their dens, and one cub was safely tranquilized. 

All animals are now in the back-of-house exhibit and are being closely monitored, with all animals “doing well.” 

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The zoo said that the situation was under control “within minutes” and that staff followed the correct procedures and processes.

In a review of footage, the zoo confirmed that the emergency response was enacted within less than 10 minutes after the lions escaped.

In an initial review, of the “significant incident” Taronga found there had been an integrity issue with a containment fence. 

A full report will be prepared for the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.

The zoo said it regularly conducts drills to make sure it is prepared.

“Taronga would like to thank all staff and guests who were on site this morning who acted calmly and ensured a successful outcome for all,” it said. 

Reuters contributed to this report.