Parents Warned Loose Lion Feeds on Fresh Meat
Parents were advised to pick up their children from school until authorities find a lion that needs to eat eight to 10 pounds of fresh meat each day to survive.
The lion, believed to be someone’s pet, was spotted Wednesday in a suburban Philadelphia apartment complex wearing dog tags and a leash. The animal stared down a woman on her way to work before scampering down some railroad tracks and disappearing.
About 10 residents reported seeing or hearing the lion. One woman said it rummaged through her garbage, roared at her and left. Dave Wood, curator of large mammals at the Philadelphia zoo, said children make “small and easy prey” for lions. He said a lion weighing 150 to 200 pounds, the size of the one at large, needs to eat eight to 10 pounds of meat a day.
Wood said many people keep pet lions, even though the animals can grow to 500 pounds.
“This could be something that someone thought would be a cool thing to have until they realize the reality of it,” he said.
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