Sydney’s Taronga Zoo reported Wednesday that five lions, one adult and four cubs, have been detected outside their main exhibit, prompting them to temporarily close the enclosure.
At 6:30 a.m., the zoo’s security services observed the lions in an area adjacent to its main exhibit, which triggered the security protocol to resolve the incident, the zoo said in a statement.
«The zoo has strict safety protocols in place for such an incident and immediate action was taken. We conduct drills periodically to ensure that we are prepared,» the company that manages the enclosure has detailed.
«All zoo staff acted quickly and procedures and processes were followed as they should have been. As a result, the situation was under control in a matter of minutes,» it added, assuring that all people and animals were safe.
Specifically, four of the lions returned calmly to their dens while one cub was «safely» tranquilized. «The cub is now awake and well,» the zoo has confirmed.
At the moment it is unknown how the lions were able to get out of their main exhibit, which is why the zoo has opened an investigation.
