Astonishing Sight in Ladispoli: Lion Roams Streets Before Being Captured by Police and Circus Staff

Residents of the seaside town of Ladispoli, Italy were shocked to find a lion roaming the streets on Saturday evening. The animal had escaped from a nearby circus, and authorities were quickly alerted. Police, vets and circus staff worked together to track the lion, and after more than five hours, they were able to sedate and capture the animal.

Extraordinary videos taken by locals showed the fully-grown lion with a shaggy mane walking through dark and deserted residential streets, padding past parked cars. Alessandro Grando, mayor of the seaside town of Ladispoli, confirmed in a Facebook post just before 10:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. ET) that the lion had been caught.

The operation to bring the animal back into captivity involved Italy’s state police, local police, the Carabinieri military police force and local volunteers. Footage shot from a police helicopter using an infrared camera showed the lion, named Kimba, strolling around a grassy area.

The lion was returned to the circus unharmed, and the incident has been deemed a success by the authorities. Local residents are relieved that the lion was safely returned to its home, and that no one was hurt in the process. The circus has not yet commented on the incident.