A circus lion was successfully captured after being spotted wandering the streets of a town in Italy.

The unusual incident happened on Saturday afternoon in Ladispoli, a seaside spot approximately 35 kilometres west of Rome.

Residents were encouraged to remain indoors while the lion was roaming around but was later sedated and secured.

It’s not known how the lion got out but served as a talking point for Mayor Alessandro Grando, who expressed hope that this would be the catalyst for ending the exploitation of animals in circuses.

Mayor Grando clarified that he did not have the authority to approve circuses and mentioned that his administration had previously attempted, albeit unsuccessfully, to prohibit circuses featuring animals in the town back in 2017.

circus italy lion WTF