A startling video showed a lion casually wandering through a residential area near Rome after escaping from a circus.
The footage, shared by a frightened local on X (formerly Twitter), captures the lion strolling down the streets of Ladispoli, a town of about 40,000 people.
The woman recording the scene exclaimed, “Mamma Mia!” as the lion, which had broken free from a nearby circus, confidently walked down the otherwise quiet street.
Some residents were stuck in their cars, with one video showing the lion passing by a vehicle as emergency lights flashed in the background.
Authorities immediately instructed locals to stay indoors while they worked to capture the lion, identified as Kimba.
Alessandro Grando, the mayor of Ladispoli, warned the community: “A lion has escaped from the circus. Please stay alert and avoid going out until further notice.”
It took authorities about seven hours to secure the animal. According to Corriere della Sera, Kimba had to be sedated twice, as the lion woke up after the first attempt. The initial capture occurred around 3 p.m. CET near Vialle Mediterraneo and Via Nicosia.
However, Kimba escaped again and had to be sedated a second time at 8:30 p.m. before being safely captured by 10 p.m.
Mayor Grando faced criticism from residents, many of whom were upset by the presence of the circus.
He clarified that he did not authorize the circus to operate in Ladispoli but also noted that he could not prevent it.
In a Facebook post, Grando confirmed the lion’s capture and expressed gratitude to the police, firefighters, and volunteers involved in the operation.
He added, “I hope this incident raises awareness and ends animal exploitation in circuses.”
Kimba has since been returned to the circus.
Read more Wildlife News.
