A large wild cat, probably a lioness, runs around the southern suburbs of Berlin. The animal was noticed by the inhabitants of the city while chasing a wild boar. A search operation is underway in the area, and the police are also trying to find the owner of the predatory cat.
Berlin police warned Berliners on Thursday that a large wild cat had been sighted in the southwestern suburbs of the German capital.
– Around midnight we received a message that none of us expected. Two passers-by saw one wild animal chasing another, police spokesman Daniel Kiep told local media. – The escapee was a wild boar, and the aggressor was a huge cat.
Witnesses recorded the entire incident and then went to the police. The officers confirmed that it was probably a lioness.
A search operation is underway
A search operation involving helicopters and thermal imaging cameras began immediately, but has still not been completed. The police are assisted by the fire brigade, hunters and a veterinarian. Residents of the suburban towns of Kleinmachnow, Teltow and Stahnsdorf have been warned not to leave their homes and to keep their pets safe.
As reported by the Tagesschau station, it is still unclear where the animal came from. Neither the local zoos nor the circuses reported the escape of the big cat, so the lioness probably belonged to a private individual. However, a police spokesman said finding the owner should not be difficult.
– This is not a normal cat. If we bring a lion into Germany, it must be properly documented, he explained.
Reuters, Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Tagesschau
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