Zoo escape grips Germany as police search for lions, tigers and a bear – oh my!
The Eiffel Zoo saw several enclosures damaged due to heavy flooding. Photo: DPA via AP/Oliver Berg
Dorothy Gale’s nightmare of lions and tigers and bears appeared to come true on Friday: not in Oz but in Germany.
Two lions, two tigers, a jaguar and a bear were reported missing from their enclosures at a zoo in Lünebach, prompting a massive search by emergency services and warnings to local residents to stay indoors.
The drama occurred amid heavy rain and flooding, which swept away fencing at the Eifel Zoo.
The bear was discovered outside the zoo grounds in the rolling hills of the Eifel region, and was shot.
As for the big cats, they were eventually found in a corner of their own enclosures.
The Eifel Zoo advertises Siberian tigers and African lions among other exotic animals.(Supplied: Eiffel Zoo)
It turns out the animals were never on the loose, but had not been visible earlier because of the heavy storm damage.
Andreas Kruppert, the mayor of the Arzfeld district of Lünebach, said there had “been an unclear situation with the wild cats over the hours”.
“In particular with regard to the tigers and the jaguar,” Mr Kruppert said, “we were unable to see the enclosures due to the large masses of water.”
He said the confusion arose because volunteers using a drone were unable to find the carnivores, prompting fears they had all escaped.
When asked about the shooting of the bear, the mayor said the lives of residents were ultimately prioritised over its welfare.
“In the case of the bear, it was also due to the serious flooding that the grid of the enclosure could not stand the pressure of the debris and high water,” he said.
“The bear then tried to save himself from the rising water level and then tried to escape and walked onto the pavement.
“But there were already emergency forces there and due to the considerable danger for the people, the bear had to be shot.”
Western Germany has seen several strong storms in recent days, causing flash floods.
why wasn’t the bear tranquillised? An animal is kept in a zoo then shot dead because his/her enclosure is damaged in a storm. Appalling. #EifelZoo
— Fiona-Natasha Syms ✡️💗 (@fifisyms) June 1, 2018
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