LEIPZIG: German zookeepers shot dead a lion Thursday after two of the animals escaped from their enclosure and a tranquiliser failed to stop one of them, the zoo's director said.
"It's a very, very sad outcome but we had no choice," said the head of the zoo in the eastern city of Leipzig, Joerg Junhold.
The one-year-old lions, named Majo and Motshegetsi, had slipped into the main grounds of the zoo at about 8:40 am (0640 GMT), before the park opened to the public.
Zoo staff implemented an emergency plan, placing the facility on lockdown so the animals could not breach the facility's fences.
"After Majo was caught and Motshegetsi was hit with a tranquiliser dart, we were hopeful that the breakout could end without any loss of life," Junhold said.
However the staff then determined that they had lost control of the situation and a zookeeper shot and killed Motshegetsi.
"Human safety always comes first," Junhold said.
The two lions originally from Namibia had only arrived in Leipzig last month from Basel Zoo.
They were given several weeks to get used to their new home before being released into an enclosure where they could be seen by the public.
"It's a very, very sad outcome but we had no choice," said the head of the zoo in the eastern city of Leipzig, Joerg Junhold.
The one-year-old lions, named Majo and Motshegetsi, had slipped into the main grounds of the zoo at about 8:40 am (0640 GMT), before the park opened to the public.
Zoo staff implemented an emergency plan, placing the facility on lockdown so the animals could not breach the facility's fences.
"After Majo was caught and Motshegetsi was hit with a tranquiliser dart, we were hopeful that the breakout could end without any loss of life," Junhold said.
However the staff then determined that they had lost control of the situation and a zookeeper shot and killed Motshegetsi.
"Human safety always comes first," Junhold said.
The two lions originally from Namibia had only arrived in Leipzig last month from Basel Zoo.
They were given several weeks to get used to their new home before being released into an enclosure where they could be seen by the public.
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