The lions escaped after jumping out of an unlocked door.
A heart-stopping footage has emerged from China that shows two circus lions escaping from their enclosure during a live performance, creating panic among the audience members. Several people present at the venue ran away in terror as the lions jumped out of an unlocked door last week. The Global Times reported that that trainers and breeders were able to catch the big cats within a short time and the circus was ordered to suspend its operations. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Watch the video:
Screams were heard from the audience as people gabbed their children and ran away from the venue in Luoyang, Henan province.
One of the witnesses told Global Times that the door of the ring was not properly locked, allowing the lions to escape.
The circus animals were later seen wandering outside the circus, prompting people to flee in all directions, according to the outlet.
The lions were brought back in a cage after being captured.
The circus has not officially commented on how the lions escaped but a police investigation has been launched.
The video went viral on social media and sparked angry reactions too, especially from animal rights activists.
"We don't believe animals should be subjected to the conditions of circus life. This is because of the constant travelling, the cramped transport, the small temporary housing, forced training and performance," said Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a UK-based animal welfare charity.
"The loud noises and crowds of people are often upsetting or frightening for performing animals," it added.
Lions are the second-largest wild cats in the world, with almost every species coming from Africa and a few from western India.