“Rawr” – you as an emo, 2009.
When you go to the zoo, you expect a couple of things to happen.
The first is that you have a lovely time and see all of the animals. The second is that you drop a load of cash on some vastly overpriced food.
And the third is that you are absolutely prepared if a lion happens to escape because you have learned all that you needed to learn via a nifty lion escape drill.
Because yes, they are things that happen. And yes, you are about to witness one.
Tobe Zoo in Aichi conducted a lion escape drill today.
Note the expression on the actual lions faces.
https://t.co/azuJYQhLCw— Spoon & Tamago (@Johnny_suputama) June 22, 2019
The lion escape drill in question occurred in Japan’s Tobe Zoo last weekend and it included everything you could possibly want from any successful safety drill.
The pretence that something horrible had happened? Check.
Lots of important looking people with stern faces pretending to do their jobs correctly? Check.
Dude in a furry lion costume that couldn’t look more adorable and non-threatening if he tried? Check.
The drill, clearly put on for the benefit of the staff in the event of an actual lion escape, involved the guy in the suit running around a make-shift net enclosure while the rest of the zoo-keepers attempted to subdue him.
Eventually, your man falls to the ground and is prodded with a large stick by some lads in a van and it’s all over.
The lion is recaptured.
All is well.
Apparently, the drill happens every year at the zoo to prepare for a lion escape in the event of an earthquake.
Because yes, that can happen. And yes, that is terrifying.
Regardless, the real lions in the zoo weren’t at all impressed that they were being made a mockery of by zoo staff.
In fact, for the majority of the drill they looked a little something like this.
Can’t blame them, tbh.