If he could not escape, the lions would have devoured him. An employee at Belfast Zoo (Ireland) says he had a terrifying experience last week Belfast Telegram Thursday. He found himself locked in an enclosure of cats.

Closes and locks the door

The worker entered the space with another, more experienced worker, while the lions moved aside to avoid contact. But when the colleague left, the door was locked. The cats were released and could roam freely. A source told Irish media the man was “locked in” with the Lions and had “nowhere to go”.

The city council, which owns the zoo, confirmed the incident. He announced that an inquiry would be launched to find out how the employee got entangled with the lions and for how long he was exposed to this danger. “We take the safety of all our staff, visitors and animals very seriously,” he said.

Questions arise

Several Irish politicians reacted to the incident. They are calling for a review of the zoo's safety standards to ensure the welfare of visitors, staff and animals.

Belfast Zoo is home to Barbary lions. Once native to North Africa, they are now extinct in the wild. “Our male lion is named Quays and lives with two daughters, Fidda and Theeba,” says Park. Its website.