Skip to main content
Tags: zoo | breakout | big cats

Animal Breakout at Zoo Includes 2 Lions, 2 tigers, Jaguar

Animal Breakout at Zoo Includes 2 Lions, 2 tigers, Jaguar
The river Pruem flows through the Eifel Zoo in Neu-Bierbach, Germany. (Oliver Berg/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

Friday, 01 June 2018 10:53 AM EDT

An animal breakout at a flooded German zoo included five dangerous big cats -- two lions, two tigers and a jaguar -- which escaped for several hours on Friday. They were later reported back "in their cages" after being spotted by a drone.

Local residents near the zoo close to the Luxembourg border were warned to stay indoors while the predators were on the loose.

A bear, which also broke out of its enclosure at the Eifel Zoo in Luenebach, was shot dead, a spokesman for local authorities said.

Officials were verifying if the fences and cages were secure, said the spokesman.

Overnight heavy thunderstorms had sparked flash floods in the area and completely flooded the private zoo, which is located on a riverbank.

The high waters had damaged the cages, allowing the animals to go on the run.

Local newspaper Trier Volksfreund said the cats were still within the sprawling 30-hectare grounds of the zoo when they were finally located by a drone.

While emergency services including firefighters and police were deployed to hunt down the predators, inhabitants of the town were told to stay indoors and to keep their windows and doors closed.

Many residents were Friday busy clearing muddy water from their cellars and removing trees downed by the severe storm. Part of a local motorway had also been blocked off due to high waters.

Owned by the Wallpott family, the zoo is home to around 400 animals, also including a Siberian tiger.

Friday's escape came two years after a similar case in eastern Germany, when two lions broke out of their cages at the Leipzig zoo.

One of the lions was shot dead while the other was eventually brought back into captivity.

In 2015, an orang-utan was shot dead after escaping from the Duisburg zoo, and a bear escapee from Osnabrueck suffered the same fate in 2017.

© AFP 2026


TheWire
An animal breakout at a flooded German zoo included five dangerous big cats -- two lions, two tigers and a jaguar -- which escaped for several hours on Friday. They were later reported back "in their cages" after being spotted by a drone.
zoo, breakout, big cats
311
2018-53-01
Friday, 01 June 2018 10:53 AM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 
TOP

Interest-Based Advertising | Do not sell or share my personal information

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Download the Newsmax App
NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved