Residents of Ladispoli, a seaside town near Rome, were gripped in panic on hearing the reports of a lion prowling through their streets after escaping from circus on Saturday.
The mayor of Ladispoli, Alessandro Grando, had advised residents to stay at home on Saturday while police and circus staff sought to catch the animal. The mayor had issued warning to the residents to remain indoors on Saturday afternoon.
The videos that went viral in social media showed lion wandering through the streets. More than five hours after the warning was sounded, Grando said the lion had been "sedated and captured".
However, the emergency service personnel had a tough time catching the lion as it soon got dark which hampered their search efforts.
A police helicopter with infrared night vision camera was used to help locate the animal, reported Wanted in Rome website.
"Now he will be taken in hand by the circus staff," wrote Grando. He also thanked the emergency services and volunteers who helped during the "hours of concern".
"I hope that this episode can stir some consciences and that we can finally put an end to the exploitation of animals in circuses," the mayor added.
