Attacks & Accidents in zoos and facilities

[LandSeaLion]

Video footage of the lions’ “great escape” in Sydney’s Taronga Zoo last month, newly released:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KuCNF8lt41g

The father Ato and four cubs (Luzuko, Zuri, Khari and Malika) managed to find a weakness in the fence and squeezed underneath it. They didn’t go very far though - mother Maya stayed behind (with the fifth cub Ayanna) and started frantically calling them, so most of the lion family heeded her roars and made their way back into the enclosure of their own accord (Ato needed a little extra encouragement from the zoo staff). Only one cub, Malika, refused to come back and had to be tranquillised by the emergency response team. The whole thing was under control in only ten minutes.

It happened early in the morning before the zoo’s general opening, but dozens of visitors were camping nearby - Taronga zoo has a “Roar and Snore” attraction, allowing visitors to sleep in tents near the lion enclosure. They were woken up by staff shouting “this is a Code One, get out of your tent and run, come now and leave your belongings!” and shepherded into a toilet block.

One family was reportedly “thrilled” with the experience, lol.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/we-had-to-run-sydney-family-s-roar-and-snore-ends-with-lions-escaping-enclosure-20221102-p5buwx.html Reply