Video: Scare at Sydney zoo as 5 lions escape enclosure. Then, ‘calmly’ return

Sydney Taronga Zoo: The five lions, four cubs and one adult, were seen roaming around in videos widely shared on social media.

Five lions escaped from their enclosure early morning on Thursday at Sydney's Taronga Zoo. Following the escape of the lions, the zoo sounded a code one alert. The zoo also immediately took "Roar and Snore" overnight stay programme guests to safety.

Sydney Taronga Zoo: Zoo employees inspect the fences around a lion enclosure. (Reuters)

The five lions, four cubs and one adult, were seen roaming around in videos widely shared on social media. The police said that officers were called in just after the alarm was activated at Taronga Zoo.

Taronga Zoo Director Simon Duffy said that one cub was tranquilised and returned to the enclosure. The other four made their way back into their main exhibit calmly.

"The zoo has very strict safety protocols in place for such an incident and immediate action was taken," Simon Duffy added.

"They came running into the tent area saying, ‘this is a Code One, get out of your tent and run, come now and leave your belongings',” a guest was quoted as saying by the local media.

No injuries were reported to people or animals and the zoo opened as normal later in the day.