In the Italian port city of Ladispoli on Saturday, a lion that escaped from a circus caused excitement for hours. The predator roamed the streets of the 40,000-inhabitant city in the north of Rome in the afternoon. Mayor Alessandro Grando warned the population to be “extremely careful”. Only after several hours was it possible to stun the animal and catch it again.
Several videos circulated online showing the animal leisurely strutting through the streets of the port city and across the sidewalks. Most residents stayed in their houses and apartments for safety reasons. Some were temporarily stuck in their cars. The animal was later spotted in a reed belt near Ladispoli.
The “Ronny Roller” circus, which is currently stopping off in Ladispoli, is now facing charges of neglecting its duty of supervision. However, ringmaster Ronny Vassallo claimed to have been the victim of “sabotage”. “We found the cage opened and someone saw three people running away on foot.” According to this interpretation, there are militant animal rights activists behind this who are fighting against the keeping of predators in circuses.
The lion escaped from the cage around 4 p.m. and then made its way into the city center along a canal. The city administration immediately imposed a curfew. Mayor Alessandro Grando urged “extreme caution.” However, all attempts by circus staff, police and fire brigade to catch the big cat were unsuccessful for hours. In the meantime, “Kimba” moved outside the city through the reeds, but then returned to the center. Ringmaster Vassallo described him as “good” the entire time.
In the evening we managed to locate the lion and give it an anesthetic injection, as the mayor announced. The lion then fell asleep after a few minutes and was taken back to the circus.
