Lions, tigers and jaguar briefly escape from German zoo

Five dangerous animals including two lions, two tigers and a jaguar escaped from a zoo in western Germany on Friday leading to a massive manhunt, police said.

They were later found inside the zoo compound in Luenebach after the search involving a drone, officials told the German media.

Earlier reports said that the animals broke out after a storm overnight caused flooding that damaged their enclosures' fences. A bear, which also broke out of the Eifel Zoo in Luenebach, was shot dead.

Residents were advised to stay inside their homes and a massive search was then launched involving police, firefighters and veterinarians, SWR.de reported.

The 74-acre zoo is home to nearly 400 animals of 60 species, including Siberian tigers and lions.

Friday's escape came two years after two lions broke out of their cages at a zoo in Leipzig in eastern Germany. One was shot dead and the other recaptured.

--IANS

soni/bg