Taronga investigation reveals cable clamp failure led to lion escape

An official interim report by Taronga Zoo has revealed the failure that allowed five lions to escape from their enclosure, as well as the fact that two lions made it past a second fence.

For five lions at Taronga Zoo, escape was as easy as squeezing through a small hole in a bit of wire fencing — and two of the five then made it past the second fence — an interim report into their bid for freedom has revealed.

Taronga Zoo has issued an explanation for how the five lions escaped their supposedly secure enclosure last week, triggering a “code one” alarm at the zoo prompting schoolchildren and families to flee to a designated safe house about 6.30am last Wednesday.

In a statement on Thursday afternoon, the zoo blamed a small piece of metal which was integral to the cable fence as being responsible for creating the small gap.

“Preliminary independent engineering advice has confirmed that swages (clamps that join wire cables together) failed, enabling a lacing cable that connects the fence mesh to a tension cable to unravel,” the zoo said.

“The lions were then able to create and squeeze through a gap,” the report said.

The enclosure.

“The ongoing review also found that while inside their exhibit, the lions played and interacted with the fence for approximately 20 minutes before four cubs, and later adult male Ato, were able to breach it.”

The progress of the five managing to get through the hole in the fence triggered the alarm about 6.30am on Wednesday morning, the zoo said.

Seven News screen grabs of Taronga Zoo where five lions escaped their enclosure.

“Lioness Maya and one cub chose to remain in the exhibit. Lioness Maya and the cub who chose to remain in the exhibit were recalled into their dens by keepers,” the report said.”

As all this was unfolding, families who were camping overnight near the lions were guided by zoo staff to a safe zone.

A group of schoolchildren were also sent into the safe house but when two boys could not be found, zoo staff went to look in the tents for them before they were both found in the toilets.

The report said other zoo staff drove around in numerous vehicles to “monitor and control” the situation.

“This enabled the keepers to use their relationships with the lions, as well as their training for such incidents, to calmly call the lions back to their exhibit, ensuring a peaceful and safe outcome for all people and animals,” the zoo said.

“The four other cubs and adult male lion appeared to remain calm and investigated the other side of the main containment fence, remaining within metres of their exhibit, before actively trying to find their way back under the fence.

PAST THE SECOND FENCE

“While trying to find an access back into the exhibit, two of the cubs moved past a secondary fence within the zoo. One cub made its own way back into the exhibit, while the other was safely tranquillised and later returned to the dens.”

The lions are being kept in a “back-of-house” environment as they wait for the fence to be fixed properly.

“Taronga will continue to review the incident and share more information in due course. The lions will continue to remain in an outdoor, back-of-house holding area pending the specialist engineering advice,” the zoo said.

The zoo’s investigation is ongoing, but already recommends engaging a “tensile-structure engineer” to provide specialist advice on how it the clamp broke and how the metal on the fence should be fixed.”