Lioness on the Loose in Berlin Not from Zoos, Circus

(Photo : Adam Berry / Getty Images)
A wild lioness has been chasing wildlife all over Berlin as police go for a hunt.

In Berlin, a lioness is roaming free and chasing wildlife, and neither zoos nor circuses have claimed it.

Wild Lioness on the Loose in Berlin

A massive search for a wild animal thought to be running loose in the German capital was launched by Berlin police on Wednesday evening. They believe it to be a lioness. Police were searching a woodland area where the animal was last spotted, while rescue personnel combed the area with the help of aircraft and drones.

The wild animal was discovered, according to Berlin police, by witnesses.

According to Daniel Kiep, a police spokesman, the crew received an alert about midnight that they were all unable to comprehend. Two men observed an animal pursuing another. One was a wild boar, while the other appeared to be something that resembled a lioness-type wild cat.

Even seasoned police officers agreed that it was most likely a lioness after seeing the video that the two men also captured.

The hunt for the animal involved helicopters equipped with thermal imaging equipment. Additionally, hunters and veterinarians were contacted.

Recent Wild Cat Sightings

According to Keip, there have been numerous sightings, and they currently believe that a lioness freely roams Teltow, Stahnsdorf, Kleinmachnow, or the nearby area of the federal capital.

Police said the lioness was likely resting in a small wooded area on Thursday, but after another sighting in the woods was recorded, officials went to a tennis club nearby in the Wannsee suburb and issued a warning to everyone there to stay inside. Even though the animal was still roaming the outer districts later on Thursday afternoon, a second sighting in Berlin-Zehlendorf raised the possibility that it was headed north toward downtown Berlin.

Where the animal may have originated was unknown.

Not from Zoos, Circuses, or Homes

According to the police spokesperson, neither zoos nor circuses are missing such an animal. Additionally, there was no obvious proof that a lion had been kept as a pet in a local household.

In Germany, no legislation forbids people from keeping wild animals as pets, hence lions are technically permissible.

According to Aljazeera, if the animal is discovered, officials will have to decide whether to tranquilize it or put it to death. The local police recommended citizens to stay inside and confine their pets to indoor spaces.

Daycare facilities continued to operate, according to the Kleinmachnow municipality, but kids were not permitted outside. It was suggested to vendors at the town's weekly market not to set up their booths for safety, CBS News reports.

Also Read: African Lion Kamau Euthanized After Suffering Gastrointestinal Problems in Sacramento Zoo

False Alarm

At a press conference held at noon, police reported that two officers had spotted the animal twice overnight, but that there had been no more reports of sightings. Reports of a sighting in the Berlin neighborhood of Zehlendorf proved to be false leads.

According to Brandenburg's fire services, the huge animal was "likely a lioness." The animal might have been a misidentified Caucasian shepherd dog, according to the director of a Tetlow circus, who also told local media that he was not aware of any lions being kept in circuses or private zoos in the area, The Guardian reports.