MAINZ, Germany (AP) — A lion was on the loose near Berlin on Thursday, prompting more than 100 police, veterinarians, hunters, drones and helicopters to join the search for the animal, while the public was warned to keep their pets inside.
Police said the creature was seen in the town of Kleinmachnow, on the southwestern outskirts of the German capital, by a witness who raised the alarm and contacted police, as well as capturing a short video.
Police spokesman Daniel Keip told NBC News Thursday morning that authorities were looking for a big cat that was seen feeding on what was likely a wild boar around midnight.
He confirmed that a video that has been widely shared on social media was sent to the police.
Overnight, police «deployed helicopters and thermal imaging cameras,» Keip said. «Currently we don’t know where the animal is,» he added.
At a subsequent news conference, Kleinmachnow Mayor Michael Grubert said the animal «was still on the run and has yet to be found.» Local kindergartens remained open, but children should not leave the complex unaccompanied, he said.
She added that she was relieved that the older children had started their vacation last week and were not on their way to and from school, but she urged them to stay home.
It is unknown how the lion was released.
Police said in a news release that they contacted local animal parks, zoos and circuses, but none were missing a lion. Officers were investigating whether he may have come from a private home.
Overnight, authorities warned the public with loudspeaker announcements, on warning apps and on Twitter. “There is no curfew at the moment, but we are advising residents not to take their dogs for walks in the nearby woods,” Keip said.
A spokesman for the local Potsdam-Mittlemark district, which also deployed a veterinarian on the search, said hunters are on scene with stun ammunition and regular bullets that can be used against a wild animal of that size. «Regular ammunition in police weapons would not necessarily work,» the spokesperson said.
Authorities believe the big cat could be sleeping somewhere. «Cats sleep up to 17 hours per day and if this animal has just been fed, it may not move,» the spokesperson said. «So it could be like looking for a needle in a haystack.»
No decision had been made on how to contain the animal, although authorities say their main goal is to capture the animal alive. “It depends on the situation,” the spokesman said, adding that he could be stunned or shot.
The story has gripped the German public, with news websites and broadcasters leading the way on the story.
Germany has a long history of escaped animals making headlines. In 2012, a crocodile was seen in a Bavarian lake; in 2014, a cow fled the slaughterhouse and gored a runner; and in April, a bear killed two sheep in Bavaria.
Andy Eckardt reported from Mainz, Germany and Patrick Smith from London.