The elephant, a native of Africa that goes by the name of Kenia, had escaped from a nearby visiting circus.
"The police inspectorate received information … that an elephant had been sighted in the vicinity of Berggärten Street," the police said in a statement.
Social media users had posted videos on Twitter of the elephant going down a residential street before entering a busy road.
Bekam gerade dieses Video geschickt.. In #Neuwied gastiert ein Zirkus und da ist wohl ein Elefant ausgebüxt 😐 pic.twitter.com/ZrUAa6dwDP
— Kóngsdóttir♡Skjaldmær (@nataliecolibri) 6 июня 2018 г.
— Michael (@IronLurchi) 6 июня 2018 г.
After being captured, the four-legged fugitive was returned to the circus grounds. Officials were forced to briefly stop traffic while the animal was sent back.
This is not the first time exotic animals roamed the streets of Germany, as on June 1, two tigers, two lions, one jaguar and a bear fled from the zoo in Lunebach.
