A shocking video captured an escaped lion walking down a residential street near Rome, leaving residents in a panic. Subsequently, the authorities issued warnings for residents to stay indoors.
The incident occurred when a terrified local inadvertently captured a video showing an escaped lion dashing away from a circus and walking down the streets of Ladispoli.
The woman, whose name is unknown, shared the footage on X, formerly known as Twitter, and it quickly went viral. In the video, she can be heard saying 'Mamma mia,' as the lion confidently struts down the quiet road.
Some people were even left trapped in their cars. One resident uploaded a clip that showed the animal walking past their vehicle, with flashing blue emergency lights in the background.
Locals were told by the authorities to stay in their homes whilst they attempted to capture the big cat, known as Kimba.
Accroding to the mayo of Ladispoli, Alessandro Grando told to the locals, saying: 'A lion escaped from the circus. Please pay full attention and avoid travel until further notice.'
According to the local news outlet Corriere della Sera, the authorities spent approximately seven hours capturing the lion. It had to be shot with sedatives twice as it awoke the first time.
The report stated that the lion got away multiple times, initially being caught and sedated around 3 pm CET between Vialle Mediterraneo and Via Nicosia. Subsequently, it managed to escape again, requiring a second sedation at 8:30 pm before ultimately being apprehended by the police at 10 pm.
Grando confirmed the capture of the big cat on Facebook and wrote: 'The lion was sedated and captured. Now it will be taken over by the circus staff.
'Thank you State Police, Carabinieri, Firefighters, Local and Provincial Police, ASL, and all the volunteers who served during these hours of great learning.
'I hope this episode can raise some conscience, and that we can finally put an end to animal exploitation in circuses.'
Watching the video below:
