Two lions on their ways to an overseas destination broke out of their shipping container at Singapore Changi Airport, consternating Singapore Airlines staff, which were forced to call in back-up.
Pair Of Lions Escape Container At Singapore Airport
The incident occurred on Sunday, December 12th, when two of the seven lions enroute to a new home broke free of their cage, with one reportedly climbing atop its cage. Cargo handlers at Singapore Airlines called in the carrier’s veterinary team for assurance.
The two lions were shot with a tranquilizer gun, then taken to a Mandai Wildlife Group facility for recovery. Mandai Wildlife Group manages the majority of zoos in Singapore.
Singapore Airlines did tell The Straits Times that the lions remained within the safety netting installed around the container, adding:
“While the incident is being investigated, the immediate priority is the lions’ well-being. SIA is working with Mandai Wildlife Group, which operates Singapore’s only wildlife facility that is equipped to look after large carnivores, on this.”
Flight operations at Changi Airport or on Singapore Airlines were not disrupted. The airline did not reveal where the lions were coming from nor where they were going.
In Singapore, a jaguar, bull, and horse have escaped in recent years, but this marks the first incident with lions and first incident at Changi Airport.
CONCLUSION
Two lions took an unexpected detour from Changi Airport into Singapore, giving airport ground handlers a scare. But the two were sedated and are now recovering before continuing on their journey.
(H/T: SINJim)
Too bad some unruly passengers can’t be handled the same way. But it sounds as if the lions were better behaved.
The lions wanted to enjoy the terminal and its facilities. Can you blame them?
Thanks for sharing the story. I can only imagine what airport staff was thinking.
One question – which two were sedated and now recovering – the lions or scared airport ground handlers? 🙂
Lol. Maybe everyone was!
Zoos are cruel. Lions deserve freedumb, too!
A pair of lions, or merlions, would have been a nice addition to the Jewel Terminal.
Not my text but…
“Singapore, known as the “Lion City,” gets its name from the Malay words singa, which means “lion,” and pura, which means “city.” Studies have shown, however, that lions have never lived there, and the legendary lion seen by Prince Sang Nila Utama, founder of ancient Singapore, was in all likelihood a Malayan tiger”.