In an Italian seaside town near Rome, chaos ensued as an escaped lion roamed the streets for hours, leading advocates to renew calls for a ban on wild animals in entertainment in Italy.
The mayor of Ladispoli, Alessandro Grando, urged residents to stay indoors while authorities from both the police and the circus worked to capture the lion. Videos, though unauthenticated, circulated in Italian media, depicting the adult lion strolling through dark, empty streets.
Rony Vassallo, in charge of animals at the Rony Roller Circus, claimed that the lion, named Kimba, posed minimal danger, emphasizing that the animal did not display any aggression towards people during the unexpected escapade.
Vassallo expressed concerns about potential harm to Kimba out of fear or enthusiasm from onlookers. The mayor, Grando, later confirmed on Facebook that the lion had been sedated and captured after more than five hours of efforts by emergency services and volunteers.
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Grando, hopeful that the incident would raise awareness, advocated for an end to the exploitation of animals in circuses. He clarified that he had not authorized the presence of a circus with lions in the town but lacked the authority to prevent it.
Meanwhile, Vassallo, while reporting that Kimba suffered no ill-effects from the escapade, expressed the circus team’s shock and tension, hinting at a possible investigation into the escape, which he found suspicious. Kimba, born and raised in captivity, had drawn criticism from animal rights activists who argue against keeping such wild creatures in captivity.
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