A police operation was launched at Taronga Zoo in Sydney after reports that five lions escaped their enclosure. Video / Nine Network
Taronga Zoo has finally revealed how an adult male lion and four cubs escaped their enclosure on Wednesday morning.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, a spokeswoman also disclosed how zoo staff risked their lives to search for two unaccounted-for school students in the zoo at the time.
She revealed fastenings of the mesh “lion-proof” fence failed, allowing lion Ato and cubs Kahri, Luzuko, Malika and Zuri to spend 10 minutes outside their enclosure.
When the escape happened, students from Cammeray, Nowra Hills and Old Bar public schools were camped overnight.
“All our emergency protocols were followed as they should have been, and two students who were initially in a nearby bathroom were safely escorted to join their classmates in the B2B House — a designated safe house — within minutes,” the zoo spokeswoman told The Daily Telegraph.
“Our staff reacted in a highly professional way to the incident and resolved it quickly, including the process of moving guests to a range of designated safe houses. We thank our staff and also the exemplary co-operation of guests.”
Taronga Zoo keepers were seen inspecting the fence. Photo / The Today Show, Channel 9
She also said the opening in the fence through which the lions escaped has since been fixed, but it’s unclear when the lions will return to their exhibit.
" The lions will not be back out on their main exhibit while we await further engineering advice,” she said.
“This advice will guide us on any further repairs or reinforcements needed,” she said.
“We would then seek approval from the Department of Primary Industries before returning the lions to their main exhibit.
“Our absolute priority is to ensure the safety of our people and guests and the welfare of our animals.
“While the zoo’s intention is to fully complete all works necessary as quickly as possible, the exact timing of the works schedule is dependent on the expert advice we receive.”
The spokeswoman said the fencing was “specially designed and engineered for zoo purposes”, meaning it required maintenance by specialists.
“In the interim, the lions will remain in a back-of-house area. The lions remain well and appear to have had no adverse reaction as a result of this event,” she said.
As for the escapees, the spokeswoman said the incident had not impacted the lions’ wellbeing, despite one cub needing to be tranquillised.
Five lions had reportedly escaped their enclosure at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo. Photo / The Today Show, Channel 9
“Lions are naturally inquisitive and exploratory animals,” she said.
“As soon as Taronga’s emergency procedures were enacted, keepers recalled the lions, with all but one cub — which was safely tranquillised — returning to their dens.
“We are relieved that the lions are well and have had no adverse impacts as a result of this incident.”
A Department of Education spokesperson said, “Students and staff were safe at all times.”
A “code one” emergency was declared on Wednesday after the lion and cubs were found outside their enclosure at the Sydney harbourside zoo at about 6.30am.
Staff and guests on site were directed to “run” to safe zones as the warning was activated.
The alarm is the zoo’s most urgent alert, reserved for when an animal that can kill escapes, and was reportedly heard in surrounding suburbs.
The lions had been contained by 9am.
Taronga Zoo confirmed it was less than 10 minutes between the lions escaping the exhibit and the emergency response being enacted.
One of those visitors was Cayla Piegay, a Year 4 student from Cammeray Public School, who was at the zoo for a school camp.
“There was some zookeepers with us, and we kept on asking them what was going on, and then they said they didn’t know but that they would tell us when they knew,” Cayla told Channel 7′s Sunrise programme.
“Then they told us that five lions were just not in the zoo, in their main exhibit.
“It was fun and scary, but then when they let us go out, everyone thought it was safe … they nearly kept us in for two hours.”
A 2m-high fence separated the lions from the rest of the zoo during their escape.
