CCTV footage has emerged from that one time five lions escaped their enclosure at Taronga Zoo. It is absolutely giving Madagascar 4: Escape 2 Mosman.
The video shows Luzuko, Zuri, Khari, Malika and Ato — four cubs and adult male lion — sussing out the zoo fence.
The secret of how Taronga Zoo's five lions managed to escape their enclosure has finally been revealed to the public. pic.twitter.com/7rfOIp7M0I
“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’,” Magnus said, per Sydney Morning Herald.
“We had to run to this building, it was only 50 or 70 metres. They counted us, then locked the door.”
Magnus said the staff initially thought it was a routine drill, only to then discover there were actual animals loose.
“They told us they have this sort of training every now and then, but then we heard on the radio ‘They are still outside’, so we realised something was out there, and they said, ‘It’s the lions’.”
Despite the chaos, Magnus said his kids had fun and enjoyed the thrill.
“The staff were so great,” he said.
One of the wee fellas squeezed their way through the fence.
Apparently lions are like lemmings, ‘cos the other four then copied.
Obviously these are terrifying carnivores killing machines but they’re also pretty goshdarn cute.
After getting through the fence, their mum Maya and Taronga zookeepers called to them, per . You know that mummy lion was absolutely pissed.
The lions then tried to get back through the fence. Luzuko, Zuri and Khari managed to but their fellow cub Malika ended up tranquillised.
Taronga Zoo had previously revealed how exactly the five lions escaped their enclosures. The escape triggered a Code One alarm and scared the living daylights out of a family who stayed overnight in tents next to the exhibit as part of the zoo’s “Roar and Snore” (lol) program.
“Digging marks” along a boundary fence were investigated by police early the next morning and the zoo later confirmed a dodgy fence in the enclosure was to blame.
“An initial review of this morning’s incident has confirmed that an integrity issue with a containment fence enabled five lions to temporarily exit their main exhibit,” Taronga said in a statement at the time.
“The lions are now in a back-of-house holding area while a full review continues.
“A full report will now be prepared for the NSW Department of Primary Industries.
“Keepers and vets report all lions are doing well.
“Taronga Zoo remains open and is extremely grateful to its staff and the community for their support today.”
Parents and and their two young kids and were sleeping 100 metres from the lion enclosure when a blaring alarm woke them up at 6.40am on November 2.
Frantic zoo keepers urged the family to ditch all their belongings and just “run”, which is absolutely not what you want to hear while at a fkn zoo.
Locals who live around reported that a Code One was sounded at about 7:30am. One called 2GB radio and said they heard loud alarms and directions for all staff except lionkeepers to “go to safe havens”.
“There are alarms going off and all the workers are locked down in a room somewhere,” a caller told 2GB’s .
Aerial footage showed police on site and zoo staff inside the lion enclosure and around a boundary fence that goes down to the water’s edge in Mosman.
Taronga Zoo confirmed the incident at 8.49am in a statement. They said an emergency situation occurred and five lions were spotted outside their enclosure, but didn’t say how they got out.
“All persons on site were moved to safe zones and there are no injuries to guests or staff,” the statement read.
“All animals are now in their exhibit where they are being closely monitored.
“The Zoo will be open as normal today. Further details will be provided when possible.”
Looks like no one got eaten, bless. What a morning!
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