Italian circus says escaped lion posed no risk

LADISPOLI, Italy: The lion that escaped from a circus near Rome posed no threat to the public, his handler insisted on Sunday, as campaigners called for Italy to ban wild animals in entertainment.

Residents of the seaside town of Ladispoli were told to stay indoors for more than five hours on Saturday evening while police, vets and circus staff tracked the lion, finally sedating and then capturing him.

Extraordinary videos published by Italian media, apparently taken by locals, showed the fully-grown lion with a shaggy mane walking through dark and deserted residential streets, padding past parked cars.

But Rony Vassallo, who is responsible for the animals in the Rony Roller Circus, said that while the thought of confronting a lion would make most people fearful, eight-year-old Kimba posed little danger.