Five lions got out of their enclosure at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia on Wednesday morning.
“The zoo has strict security procedures for such incidents and measures were taken immediately,” the zoo writes in one press release.
An initial review has revealed a problem with a fence that allowed the lions to leave their enclosure.
The guests who stayed overnight in the area had to seek shelter in a safer area with toilets and the police were called to the scene.
– They ran into the area and told us to leave the tents and all belongings, says the zoo visitor, Magnus Perri.
The lions in question, one adult individual and four cubs, were in a section outside the main exhibit, but separated by a high fence from the rest of the zoo. Four of the five lions went back voluntarily, while one cub had to be sedated and moved.
Listen to the interview with the zoo visitor, Magnus, in the player above