Lions on the rampage! Zoo shuts in panic as male and female escape from cage because cleaner forgot to lock the door

• The animals escaped from their enclosure at Chongqing Zoo, China
• The female lion was tranquilised and captured within the hour
• But the male lion was free for almost four hours before capture

A zoo in China was forced to close after two lions escaped from their unlocked cages.
Riot police, snipers and zoo workers armed with tranquiliser guns worked to capture the ferocious animals after they escaped at the zoo in Chongqing, south west China.
According to reports, the lion and lioness were given free run of the zoo when a keeper who was cleaning their enclosure forgot to lock the gate.

Panic: Armed police are on guard as one of two escaped lions at Chongqing Zoo in south west China is returned to its enclosure

Carried to safety: A group of men rush the tranquilised animal back to its pen. One of the lions was caught within the hour but another was at large for more than three hours

Captured: A vet tends to one of the captured lions which has been tranquilised so that it can be returned to its enclosure safely

The zoo was completely evacuated following the escape at 8am.
While the lionness was caught within the hour, the male was at large for almost four hours before he was recaptured.

The pair were both unharmed in their capture.
A zoo spokesman said: 'We found the female first and subdued her with a tranquiliser gun but the male took longer to find and bring back.

Drama: Armed police teamed up with zoo staff and riot teams in a bid to recapture the lions after they escaped at 8am yesterday

Cordoned off: Police guard the entrance and a temporary sign is put up as the zoo was forced to close

'They both recovered quickly and are no worse off for their adventure.'
Officials have issued an apology to visitors for the panic caused.
One said: 'You can't blame the lions. It was human error and they naturally took advantage of it.'
Chongqing Zoo houses some 200 different species and around 2,000 different animals in total.
The zoo, which cover 45 hectares of rolling hills and is one of China's biggest urban zoos.
It attracts around a million visitors each year.

'Human error': The lion cage at Chongqing Zoo had been left unlocked by a keeper who was cleaning the enclosure

Reinforcements: Van loads of police were called in to help bring the situation under control. Officials have since apologised for the panic caused by the escape