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A male lion escaped from a private animal park in southern Türkiye early Sunday morning and seriously injured a farmer before being recaptured hours later, authorities said.
The lion, named Zeus, broke free from his enclosure at the "Aslan Diyari" (Lion Land) animal park in the Manavgat district around 2 a.m. for reasons that remain unclear, according to local reports.
Around 5:00 a.m., the animal attacked 53-year-old Suleyman Kir, who was irrigating his field approximately one kilometer from the park. Emergency medical teams responded to the scene and transported Kir to a hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
Following the escape, police and gendarmerie units launched an extensive search operation across the resort area between the Ilica and Kumkoy neighborhoods. Authorities deployed drones to assist in locating the animal and warned residents to avoid the area.
Resident Faruk Zeybek witnessed part of the incident after being awakened by sirens. "I saw the police car lights and thought there was a burglary," Zeybek said. "The police told me, 'A lion has escaped; don't leave your house.'
Later, I saw the lion lying near my garden. It raised its head. I experienced great fear at that moment and immediately took a video."
After hours of searching, Zeus was captured near Kumkoy. The lion was reportedly found injured during the operation.
The incident occurred in Antalya province, a popular tourist destination on Türkiye's Mediterranean coast. The private animal park where the escape occurred is located in the Ilıca neighborhood of the Manavgat district.
Authorities have not yet released details about how the lion managed to escape from its enclosure or the extent of its injuries when recaptured.
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