A group of lions escaped from a park in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, leaving residents on edge and officials scrambling to find them.
Wildlife officials appeared to have no idea how many of the big cats sneaked out of the park Friday morning.
The Kenya Wildlife Service tweeted that six lions escaped, but a spokesman for the agency told local media that the number is unclear.
“We are depending on the public to report if they sight them,” Kenya Wildlife Service spokesman Paul Udoto told the Daily Nation.
Predawn search
Officials urged vigilance and warned Nairobi residents to call a toll free number if they spot the lions.
“Our team has been on ground since 3 a.m. to ensure that the … lions are safely back,” the Kenya Wildlife Service tweeted.
The animals escaped from the Nairobi National Park, which is near the central business district.
Animals at the park include leopards, buffaloes and giraffes grazing in open spaces with the city’s skyscrapers in the background.
Lioness and cubs
A caller told wildlife officials that the animals were last seen near a hospital in Nairobi, according to Udoto. The caller said the animals included a lioness and cubs.
“We responded immediately,” he told the newspaper. “But we have not been able to track them down.”
Others have called to say they saw the lions near residential areas, he said.
