A viral AI-generated image appearing to show African lions roaming the streets of Akron, Ohio, sparked rumours that the animals had escaped from a local zoo. However, the Akron Zoo has dismissed the claims as false, confirming that all four of its lions remain safely inside their habitat.
(Also read: Gujarat man's heart-stopping encounter with lion leads to something surprising)
According to a UPI report published on November 10, the image circulated widely on social media and appeared to show two African lions standing near a rubbish bin in Akron.
The photograph prompted speculation about a possible escape, leading zoo officials to issue a clarification.
Zoo dismisses viral lion escape claims
In a Facebook statement on November 7, the zoo addressed the misinformation and explained that the image circulating online was not genuine.
"There has recently been inaccurate information about the Akron Zoo’s African lions escaping earlier this week. Some statements include a false AI photo of a lion in Akron," the zoo wrote.
Officials also pointed to a safety exercise conducted on November 4 involving the Akron Police Department and Akron Fire Department.
{{/usCountry}}Officials also pointed to a safety exercise conducted on November 4 involving the Akron Police Department and Akron Fire Department.
{{/usCountry}}"As we previously shared, on Wednesday, Nov. 4, the Akron Zoo conducted a variety of drills with Akron police and fire departments," the statement added.
The zoo referred residents to its original Facebook announcement about the exercise, explaining that such drills are part of its routine emergency preparedness procedures.
"Our lions remain in the safety of their habitat," the zoo confirmed.
Take a look here at the post:
Why did the zoo conduct safety drills?
The zoo explained that regular emergency exercises are mandatory under its accreditation requirements.
"The Akron Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). As part of our accreditation requirements, we conduct a minimum of four safety drills a year. This includes dangerous animal escape drills," officials stated.
The zoo further explained that it conducts an annual exercise with local emergency services to protect visitors, employees and volunteers.
According to News 5 Cleveland, reporters visited the facility and confirmed that its lions were safely inside their habitat.
(Also read: Escaped lion enters house, mauls 14-year-old girl to death in Kenya)
The incident has also raised concerns about misleading AI-generated images spreading online. Security expert Tim Dimoff told the outlet that people should verify alarming social media claims through official sources before sharing them.
In this case, what appeared to be a dangerous animal escape turned out to be an online hoax, with no lions having escaped from the zoo.