The Perri family leave the zoo on Wednesday morning.

The Perri family leave the zoo on Wednesday morning.Credit:Brook Mitchell

They were awoken by an alarm and zookeepers rushing to their tent at 6.40am on Wednesday;earlier,the family had heard the animals roaring about 4am.

“They came running into the tent area saying,‘this is a Code One,get out of your tent and run,come now and leave your belongings’,” Magnus said as the family left the zoo on Wednesday.

“We had to run to this building,it was only 50 or 70 metres. They counted us,then locked the door,” he said.

The staff initially thought the radio call was a drill,he said.

“They told us they have this sort of training every now and then,but then we heard on the radio ‘They are still outside’,so we realised something was out there,and they said,‘It’s the lions’.”

Despite their closer-than-expected encounter with the zoo’s wildlife,Magnus said the family were thrilled with the experience.

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“The staff were so great,” he said.

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