November 12th 2023.
Residents in Ladispoli, a town near Rome in Italy, were shocked to witness the incredible sight of an escaped lion striding down their streets on Saturday night. The fearsome predator had escaped from a nearby circus and video footage of the animal was soon shared online.
The mayor of Ladispoli, Alessandro Grando, issued a warning urging residents to remain vigilant and avoid travelling until the lion had been contained. He said: “A lion escaped from the circus. Please pay full attention and avoid travel until further notice.”
One local, upon spotting the huge cat, exclaimed “Mamma Mia!” as the lion wandered confidently between parked cars. It took several hours for authorities to contain the wildcat and it had to be shot with sedatives twice before it was successfully captured at around 10pm.
Mayor Grando was inundated with complaints about the circus being allowed anywhere near the area but he announced on Facebook that everyone was safe and the danger had passed. He also urged a reconsideration of animal exploitation in circuses. He said: “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.”
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
