Five lions escape enclosure at Taronga Zoo, ‘code one’ issued as cops called

Five lions escaped their enclosure at Sydney’s popular Taronga Zoo, with police and staff at the compound.

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 harbourside Sydney suburb of Mosman where the zoo is located 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 alert was issued 20 minutes later.

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Police were spotted at the lion enclosure at Taronga Zoo. Picture: Channel 9

The lions have since been returned to their enclosure. Picture: Supplied

Calling into 2GB’s Ben Fordham Live 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 Fordham.

#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 responds: Response within 10 minutes

Taronga Zoo confirmed the “significant incident” at 8.49am this morning. It said an emergency situation occurred and five lions – one adult and four cubs – were spotted outside their enclosure. Although four lions returned to their enclosure without incident, one cub was safely tranquillised.

Speaking to media later in the morning, a zoo spokesman said emergency protocols were enacted less than 10 minutes after the lions were located outside their main enclosure at 6.30am.

“The Lions were observed in a small area adjacent to the main lion exhibit, where a six-foot fence separated them from the rest of the zoo,” he said.

“The zoo has very strict safety protocols in place for such an incident, and immediate action was taken.

“All animals are now safe in their back of house exhibit and are being closely monitored.”

Taronga Zoo is home to two adult lions and five lion cubs. Picture: Rick Stevens

A full review will also be underway to determine how the lions escaped.

There are a total of two adult lions and five lion cubs at Taronga Zoo. In August, the zoo welcomed the five 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 other option was to move him from the troop,” said Mr Hazzard at the time.

“This way, he can stay with his family through until old age.”

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