NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb. 19 (UPI) — Kenya wildlife officials are searching for at least four lions that escaped Nairobi National Park early Friday.
The park is next to the city of Nairobi and the pride was seen on main roads of the city in the morning. Residents were asked to stay away from the lions, keep their children inside and report any sightings to the Kenya Wildlife Service.
The group of escapees reportedly includes three lions and a lioness.
“Lions are dangerous wild animals. Don’t confront them when you encounter them,” KWS spokesman Paul Udoto tweeted.
Udoto also stressed people should not try to capture the lions themselves, as happened in 2012, when a lioness had to be killed after residents tried to capture her. Her four cubs then had to be sent to an orphanage.
Nairobi National Park has an estimated population of about 30 lions. Leopards, buffalos and giraffes also live in the park. Though NNP is surrounded by an electric fence, it’s unclear how the lions got out.
