A lion that escaped from a circus in the Italian town of Ladispoli, near Rome, on Saturday has been recaptured after several hours on the loose, CNN reported citing the local mayor.

Just after 10 p.m. local time (5 p.m. ET) on Saturday, Ladispoli mayor Alessandro Grando announced on his Facebook page that the lion had been caught.

The animal had been on the loose for at least 5 hours, causing concern and confusion among local residents.

“The lion has been sedated and captured. It will now be handed over by the circus staff. I thank the State Police, the Carabinieri, the Fire Department, the local and provincial police, the Asl [Local Health Authority], and all the volunteers who served during these hours of great apprehension,” Grando said on social media on Saturday evening.

“I hope that this episode will stir some consciences, and that we can finally put an end to the exploitation of animals in circuses,” he added.

Earlier on Saturday, Grando alerted local residents immediately after the animal’s escape, urging people to stay vigilant and advising them to stay at home.

It was around 5 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET) when it was announced the lion had escaped from the circus and that the animal was immediately tracked down within the adjacent waterway.

When asked how the animal managed to escape from the circus, the mayor said a member of the circus’ staff saw three people running away and that they found a broken lock at the circus.

“They are talking about sabotage,” Grando said, adding that the incident will now be investigated.