Taronga Zoo lion escape: New video reveals how animals freed themselves from enclosure

The mystery of how five sneaky lions were able to escape their enclosure at Taronga Zoo has been solved after new CCTV footage captured the exact moment they wriggled free. 

The vision showed lion cubs Luzuko, Zuri, Khari and Malika and adult male Ato sniffing around the edge of the fence at about 6.30am on November 2. 

One of the cubs was able to squeeze through a small gap in the metal fence and was quickly followed by the other lions, sparking a 'code one' emergency.

A code one alarm is sounded across the zoo when an animal that can kill humans has escaped.

In the dramatic footage, the escapees can be seen walking along the outside perimeter of their enclosure as a van and ute followed the lions at a sedate pace. 

One of the cubs was able to squeeze through a small gap in the metal fence and was quickly followed by the other lions, sparking a 'code one' emergency (pictured)

In the dramatic vision, the lions make their way down the outside of their enclosure as zoo staff driving a van and ute follow them at a sedate pace (pictured)

The lions, who stayed within metres of the enclosure, eventually made their way back inside after being called back by lioness Maya and zoo keepers. 

Luzuko was the first cub to return and was quickly followed by female cub Zuri and male cub Khari - with Malika tranquilised by the zoo's emergency response team. 

Ato, the adult lion, was the last to return to the enclosure. 

Malika was later returned to the den by keepers who were able to secure the lions before the tourist attraction opened for the day. 

The zoo's ongoing review discovered the lions had been 'playing and interacting' with the fence for around 20 minutes before it was breached.

An alarm was sounded at 6.40am after the lions squeezed through the gap and the zoo went into lockdown. 

Officials said clamps used to join wire cables together had 'failed' which led to a cable to unravel and create a gap in the fence for the lions to wriggle through. 

 The zoo's review into the enclosure escape, which is still ongoing, has recommended a 'tensile-structure engineer' conduct an investigation and provide specialist advice on the fence (pictured, police seen at the fence near the lion viewing area)

'Preliminary independent engineering advice has confirmed that swages (clamps that join wire cables together) failed, enabling a lacing cable that connects the fence mesh to a tension cable to unravel,' a statement read. 

'The lions were then able to create and squeeze through a gap.'

Families camping overnight in a building close to the enclosure as part of the Roar and Snore experience were led to a safe area by Taronga Zoo staff.

'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",' guest Magnus Perri said. 

 '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",' guest Magnus Perri said (pictured with his family)

The zoo explained in a statement that clamps used to join wire cables together had 'failed' which led to a lacing cable to unravel and create a small gap in the fence (pictured)

'We had to run about 50 to 70 metres before they opened the door, everyone got in, they counted us and they locked the door and we stayed inside the building.' 

Taronga Zoo director Simon Duffy reassured visitors that the lions had been returned to their habitat without any injuries to guests or staff by 9am. 

Because the lions escaped their enclosure before the zoo opened its gates for the day, there were only workers in the vicinity besides the families who were camping.

Taronga Zoo said its review into the sneaky escape is ongoing and that an 'independent, specialist forensic engineer is still conducting detailed investigations on the failure and the complex mesh fencing system'.

The zoo said the lions would 'continue to remain in an outdoor, back-of-house holding area pending the specialist engineering advice' and are unlikely to return to their main exhibit before Christmas. 

The lions had been 'playing and interacting' with the fence for 20 minutes before they breached it, which sounded an alarm and put the zoo into lockdown