ISTANBUL, 2025-07-06
Zoo escape in Turkey turns violent
A lion on the lam attacked a sleeping man.
- Zeus, a male lion, escaped from Land of Lions zoo.
- The lion attacked a 53-year-old man sleeping outdoors.
- The man sustained head and shoulder injuries.
- The lion was later located and shot dead.
A recent incident in Turkey involved a lion named Zeus escaping from a zoo, and a **lion attack** left a man seriously injured before the animal was shot.
Close encounter of the feline kind
A 53-year-old man is recovering after a startling wake-up call in southern Turkey. Suleyman Kir was sleeping outdoors when Zeus, a male lion who’d managed to escape from the Land of Lions zoo in Manavgat, found him in the early hours of Sunday.
The resort city on the Mediterranean coast became the stage for a real-life nightmare when Zeus broke free from his enclosure.
A struggle for survival
Kir recounted the terrifying moments, “I heard a whispering sound. When I lifted the blanket, the lion fell on me.” He continued, “We struggled and fought… I grabbed his neck and squeezed. At that moment, he ran off a little.”
Kir was quickly transported to a local hospital where he was treated for wounds to his head and shoulder.
Lion located, situation neutralized
Following the attack, police teams and drones were mobilized. They located Zeus near several hotels in the area, where the decision was made to fatally shoot the escaped lion.
Unanswered questions
The circumstances surrounding Zeus’s escape remain unclear. As of Sunday, the zoo had not issued a statement regarding the incident.
FAQ: Lion Escape in Turkey
How did the lion escape?
The exact method of escape is currently unknown. The zoo has not yet commented on the incident.
Where did the escape occur?
The lion escaped from the Land of Lions zoo in Manavgat, a resort city on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey.
What happened to the lion?
After attacking a man, the lion was located by police and drones near local hotels and was subsequently shot dead.
