Taronga Zoo: Five lions escape exhibit

• Five lions escaped from their exhibit at an Australian zoo.
• One parent and four cubs were seen outside their Taronga Zoo exhibit.
• All lions were captured within minutes after the zoo was locked down.

Five lions escaped an Australian zoo, causing a temporary emergency.

One parent and four cubs were seen outside their Taronga Zoo exhibit at 6:30 local time on Wednesday (22:30 GMT Tuesday).

A spokeswoman said all lions were captured within minutes after the zoo was locked down and one cub was tranquillized. Nobody was hurt.

Escape is unexplained.

But zoo executive director Simon Duffy called it a “serious event” must be investigated.

He informed local media the lions entered a tiny area “next” to their display, roughly 100m from the zoo’s overnight guests. The main zoo closed.

“The lions never left that [near] region or Taronga Zoo,” he claimed.

Mr. Duffy stated that a perimeter fence surrounded the zoo and a six-foot barrier protected the small section.

The zoo said CCTV footage showed a keeper raising the alarm 10 minutes after the escape.

Mr. Duffy said staff moved everyone on site to safety swiftly. Four lions “calmly returned” to their enclosure.

“100% safe” inspections will keep the lion exhibit closed, Mr. Duffy said.

Australian zoo escapes are rare.

A lioness escaped its enclosure at Mogo Zoo south of Sydney in 2009 and had to be slaughtered to protect the people.

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