By Tim Binnall
A Japanese zoo recently held a bizarre training exercise wherein a worker was dressed as a tiger and staff were tasked with capturing the faux big cat. The weird drill was reportedly conducted last week at the Tobu Zoological Park in the community of Miyashiro. The exercise imagined that an earthquake had struck the area and, in turn, the glass enclosure of the zoo's resident tiger was smashed, setting the big cat out on the prowl. In order to make the drill as realistic as possible while still being safe for staff, playing the role of the ferocious feline was a costume-clad worker.
In an amusing video showcasing the drill, seen above, the staff member playing the tiger commendably commits to the role by scurrying around on all fours and furtively hiding behind a rock. Meanwhile, staff usher guests out of the park and prepare nets to contain the escaped animal. The oddly realistic exercise culminates with a zookeeper pretending to tranquilize the 'big cat' and the 'sedated' animal is then carefully wrapped in a sizeable cloth so that it can be transported to a safe location.