CHENNAI: A five-and-a-half-year-old male lion, Sheroo, that went 'missing' from the Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP) in Vandalur a few days ago, safely returned to the Zoological Park on October 6.

The lion went 'missing' on October 3 evening. While the officials believed the lion would return within a day, the delay triggered an intensive search operation.

However, today, during the meal time of the animals, the lion ran back to its cage, possibly in search of food. Following the lion's return, the officials have provided it with lunch and have caged the animal.

The disappearance of the lion had caused panic, prompting the deployment of five special teams, drones, and 10 webcams to trace its whereabouts. The Lion Safari was temporarily suspended, and there is no official word on when it will resume.

The return of the lion has brought much-needed relief to the zookeepers.