Five lions escape enclosure at Sydney zoo, Code 1 issued as cops called

Four lions have reportedly escaped their enclosure at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo and are now on the loose. Photo / 9 News, Twitter

Five lions briefly escaped their enclosure at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo this morning, triggering a ‘Code One’ alert with staff urged to retreat to ‘safe havens’.

The alarm was sounded at around 7.30am after a construction worker reportedly made the discovery. Locals in the neighbouring suburb of Mosman also reported hearing the alarm.

Police and staff were seen inside the lion enclosure inspecting a boundary fence facing the water’s edge in Mosman. Authorities were called to the zoo at 7.10am before the Code One alert was issued 20 minutes later.

Calling into 2GB’s Ben Fordham radio show, a relative of a zoo construction worker said staff were placed in lockdown.

“He [the construction worker] put a message out that there are four lions on the loose,” a relative of the worker told Ben Fordham’s 2GB Radio.

#BREAKING | A caller has told @BenFordham there are currently 4 lions on the loose at Taronga Zoo Sydney.

The zoo is apparently in lockdown at the moment.

NSW Police have been called as a precaution.

If you have any information - call 131 873 now.

— Ben Fordham Live (@BenFordhamLive) November 1, 2022

Taronga Zoo confirmed the incident at 8.49am this morning. They said an emergency situation occurred and five lions were spotted outside their enclosure.

“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.”

There are a total of two adult lions and five lion cubs at Taronga Zoo. In August, the zoo welcomed cubs for the first time in 18 years.

The lion enclosure is located in the African Savannah portion of the zoo, which also houses giraffes, zebras, meerkats and fennec foxes.

In February 2020, three baboons were spotted running around the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney’s inner-west suburb of Camperdown. The animals were on the loose for just over an hour before they were recaptured.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazard later confirmed the primates had escaped via a faulty lock while being transported to an animal research facility at RPA. One of the baboons – a 15-year-old male – was slated to have a vasectomy “because there’s no desire for him to continue to breed for the troop”.

The animals were part of a 20-year-old colony which had been bred for research purposes.