Earthquake exercise in Japan: Zoo rehearses an emergency – with plush lions

Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. In the zoo in Osaka, a curious exercise was practiced for emergencies and the escape of a lion was simulated – including a plush costume.

A Japanese zoo has tested a lion’s escape in the event of an earthquake with a curious method: with a lion costume. An employee of the Tennoji Zoo in Osaka put on the fluffy onesie with the mighty lion’s head and took on the role of the escaped predator. While he then strutted through the facility on two legs under the curious gaze of visitors, his colleagues with helmets, shields and nets and the support of fire department officials tried to catch the “crazed” employee again. “This may have looked amusing to the visitors, but for us it was serious exercise,” said a zoo spokesman.

Attack on zoo keeper

Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. Disaster drills are therefore held across the country every year. This time, the zoo in Osaka assumed that a lion escaped from the cage during opening hours as a result of a strong vibration and attacked a zookeeper.

Strictly according to the textbook, the emergency services cornered the anything but threatening-looking “lion” with signs and poles. At the end, a vet aimed at the funny animal with a tranquilizer gun, whereupon the two-legged lion kneeled a little theatrically, stretched out on all fours, and in the end, probably a little exhausted, wrapped himself in nets and was transported away – danger averted.