Japanese zoo's hilarious lion drill goes viral

One of the worst situations that a zoo can face is to have dangerous animals escaping their enclosure and roaming free.

To prepare for the emergency, Tobe Zoo in Ehime, Japan set up a drill to train staff on ways to deal with an escaped lion.

Instead of releasing an actual big cat, the zoo opted to use a staff member in a lion costume.

A video shows the furry suited employee strolling around the zoo on two legs and charging into a net held by zookeepers. The staff then could be seen simulating tranquilising and capturing the faux animal.

Tobe Zoo in Aichi conducted a lion escape drill today.

Note the expression on the actual lions faces.
pic.twitter.com/azuJYQhLCw — Spoon & Tamago (@Johnny_suputama) June 22, 2019

The drill was aimed at preparing staff and visitors for the emergency in the event of an earthquake or other incident.

The zoo noted that similar drills are held annually, but this year marked the first time it took place while the park was open.

The video has attracted interest from social media users across the world, with many highlighting the zoo’s unique training method. “How do I sign up for this job?” one wrote.

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Some pointed out the real lions who could be seen watching the drill from a distance. “Real lions watch carefully – no doubt assessing weaknesses and plotting their own getaways,” one commented.