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Indianapolis Zoo says online reports of escaped lions were a hoax

The Indianapolis Zoo walkway entrance (WISH Photo/David Smith)

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Zoo reports all their lions are safe and sound after a viral internet hoax claims they had escaped Wednesday night.

The Indianapolis Zoo made a post on Facebook saying lions escaping from their enclosures never happened. The viral photos of two lions are actually from a safari trail camera in Africa.

So technically, the lions in the photo are free, just far away from Indiana.

“Who knew that April Fools’ Day came in December? Reports of lions escaping from our Zoo are not true,” said the Indianapolis Zoo.

The hoax has gone viral with over 3,000 shares on social media, with one instance saying the lions escaped from the Nashville Zoo as well.

The origins of this alarming internet prank are not yet known.