German zoo escape: Bear shot dead with tigers and lions recaptured

Heavy flooding thought to have badly damaged cages and fences

A bear that escaped its cage was shot dead and five big cats that got loose were rounded up at a zoo in western Germany.

Two lions, two tigers and a jaguar escaped their enclosures after storms destroyed fences, according to local media.

The big cats were later recaptured after being found by a drone, it was reported.

Residents in the town of Luenebach, near the border with Luxembourg and Belgium, had been warned to stay indoors and keep their doors and windows closed.

Flooding following heavy rainfall is believed to have damaged the animals’ enclosures and fences, allowing them to escape.

A large force of police and firefighters rushed to the Eifel Zoo to help hunt for the animals.

Wildlife lovers said the case showed wild animals should not be kept in cages. “An innocent animal shot because the zoo clearly couldn’t keep the animals safely in captivity,” tweeted Holly Chatterton.

The zoo was not answering phone calls and did not update its website with the news.

Exact details of how the animals managed to escape nor exactly when they got out were not clear.