Paris: A tiger that escaped a Paris circus, roamed the streets of the capital for "some time" on Friday evening before being shot dead.

French police said the big cat was "neutralised" by a Bormann Moreno circus employee near a bridge over the River Seine, about two kilometres from the Eiffel Tower.

Yasha plays with his offsprings in an animal park in Hamburg, Germany. Credit:DPA/File

Paris police tweeted the animal had been found in the 15th arrondissement and the danger had been eliminated. It asked residents to "not relay false information" on social media.

A Paris police official said the tiger was on the loose for "some time" but there had been no reports of injuries or casualties.