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Kimba was on the run: In the Italian coastal town of Ladispoli, a lion that escaped from a circus caused a lot of excitement this weekend. The predator named Kimba roamed the city of 40,000 north of Rome for hours on Saturday. Hundreds of residents fled to their homes, but many then busied themselves filming the spectacle from a safe distance with their mobile phones. Only in the evening was it possible to stun the lion with an arrow and a syringe and return it to the cage.
The Ronny Roller circus, which is currently making a stopover in Ladispoli, is now being threatened with accusations of neglecting its supervisory duties. However, ring director Ronny Vassallo claimed to have been the victim of “sabotage”. “We found the cage open and someone saw three people running away on foot.” According to this interpretation, militant animal rights activists are behind this, fighting against keeping predators in circuses.
From the reeds to the city center
The lion escaped from the cage around 4 p.m. and then found its way into the city center via a canal. The city government immediately imposed a curfew. Mayor Alessandro Grando called for “extreme caution.” However, all attempts by circus staff, police and fire brigades to capture the lion failed for hours. Kimba, meanwhile, left the city through the reeds, but then returned to the center. Ringmaster Vassallo described him as “good” all the time.
Around 9 p.m., veterinarians managed to sedate the lion with a syringe. Kimba then spent the night in the cage again. The case sparked new debates about whether such wild animals should even be presented in circuses today. Mayor Grando pointed out that Ladispoli had already tried to ban animal circuses in 2017 – but that failed in court.
False lioness in Berlin
There has long been a dispute in Italy over whether circuses – many of which are small family-run businesses – can still tour the country with predators. Critics accuse them of mistreating the animals. It is estimated that there are approximately 2,000 animals in use in Italian circuses.
In the summer, a similar story made headlines in the Berlin area: the alleged lioness, of which only blurry photos existed, turned out to be a wild boar after a few days. This time the lion was real. It was still unclear on Sunday how the mighty animal was able to free itself. (SDA/jmh)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
