Town in Panic After 2 Lions, 2 Tigers, & Jaguar Escape Zoo. Turns Out, They Were Just Hiding

Lions and tigers and bears and… jaguars? Sounds like something from a movie. Or a zoo.

Zoos have been an establishment since humans could successfully capture and care for animals. Over the years the standards for animals kept in captivity have been developed, which means most major zoos take decent care of their creatures.

It’s not often that people can share the same space with some of these animals, and the experience can bring about positive change — both in people’s understanding of unusual critters and promoting conservation efforts.

But keeping large and dangerous animals in captivity — even in the best of care — still poses difficulties.

There are always potential accidents lurking around the corner when you’re dealing with any animals, but especially when you’re dealing with predators.

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Two lions, two tigers, a jaguar and a bear were all residents at Eifel zoo in Lünebach, Germany, until Friday, June 1.

On Thursday night, the area experienced a severe amount of rain. The zoo, which is located next to a river, was flooded.

The enclosures were damaged, and the six dangerous animals got loose. An investigation is being held to see whether or not the cages were originally in good shape and secure.

On Friday, residents were busy trying to clean up the mess left behind by the rain and flooding.

The amount of water was unusual, and people were left to try and muck out their homes and cellars as much as they could.

They were stopped, though, by a warning: there were six dangerous animals out on the prowl. Those who lived nearby were instructed to stay inside and keep all doors and windows shut.

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The bear, unfortunately, had already made it out of the zoo and had to be put down. The search efforts required firefighters, police, and a drone — which is how the animals were eventually located.

Fortunately the big cats were located on the zoo property. They were captured and returned to secure enclosures, and the residents were free to go about their lives once again.

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