GERMAN police have halted the search for a suspected lioness roaming the nation’s capital – saying it’s more than likely to be a common wild BOAR.
Officials advised the residents of Berlin’s southern suburbs not to leave their houses on Thursday and to keep their pets indoors as news of the escaped beast filtered throughout the German capital.
Hundreds of officers joined “Operation Lion Hunt” in the capital’s southern suburbs but no trace of the animal was found overnight.
And in a press conference on Friday, German cops said “everything indicates it is not a lioness” – and believe the animal in the original amateur video was “with relative certainty” a boar – a common animal that frequents the outskirts of Berlin.
It comes after cops confirmed no paw prints or DNA material – such as animal waste – was found near the area to suggest that it was a lion.
Read our live blog below for the latest updates…
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Kleinmachnow mayor’s words
During a press conference held this morning, Kleinmachnow mayor Michael Grubert said: “Everything indicates it is not a lioness.”
He added that “with relative certainty” the animal spotted in the original amateur video is a boar.
It comes after police have been combing the streets of the suburban communities and the forest nearby in search for the “lioness.”
They used night-vision goggles and drones but called the search off on Friday.
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Lion is probably a boar, authorities say
German authorities have called off the search for a suspected missing lioness as they found no evidence of a big cat on the loose.
They’ve held a press conference in which they said that after speaking to experts, they believe the animal is actually a wild boar.
No paw prints or DNA material such as animal waste has been found near the area to suggest that it was a lion.
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Reports suggest police haven’t found an animal tracker yet
Kleinmachnow Mayor Michael Grubert insisted that the search “can’t carry on for days” as he expected it to “intensify” on Friday.
However, German news agency DPA reported on Friday that the municipality is yet to find an animal track expert.
It also added that it isn’t yet clear whether the hair found on a tree on Thursday would provide any evidence which directs them to the lioness.
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What are people advised to do?
Brandenburg police is asking residents “to act with appropriate caution and to avoid the adjacent forests.”
They’ve also been warned to look after pets and farm animals.
If anyone comes across the lioness they should “seek safety immediately and call the police.”
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Police are asking where the lioness has come from
Authorities confirmed that the two dozen registered lion in the Brandenburg state surrounding Berlin have been accounted for.
Police added that none of the zoos, animal shelters, circuses or other facilities reported a missing lioness.
There is also no information of anyone privately owning a lioness in the area, authorities added, which begs the question: “Where did the lioness run from?”
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Young people were playing lion roars during the night
Police spokesperson Kerstin Schrder said that not everyone is taking the search for the missing lioness seriously.
It comes as a group of young people have been found to be playing a loud recording of lion roars using a Bluetooth device during the night, Ms Schrder told RBB.
“That helps neither the municipality nor the police in the search for the animal,” she added.
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Police assume video of lion is ‘authentic’
Last night, a video of a “big cat” was shared with further confirmations that police have also seen the lioness on the loose.
Police said they’re “currently assuming” the video is “authentic.”
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German crime family member willing to help search for missing lion
A member of a German crime family has offered to help in the search for the missing lioness.
The son of the head of the Remmo family – Firas – said that he can “lead the lioness back to her enclosure.”
Posting on social media, he asked the public to “let him know first” if they have any information about the lioness’ whereabouts so he can step in “before some idiot shoots her.”
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Police dealing with a lioness ‘roaming freely’
German police spokesman Daniel Keip spoke to media about the reports they receive each summer about dangerous animals.
He said: “In the summer, you often hear reports of crocodiles in swimming lakes and then it turns out all it was, was a big duck. In this case, it’s obviously totally real.
“We’re dealing with a lioness that’s roaming freely through Teltow, Stahnsdorf and Kleinmachnow.”
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What will happen to the lioness once police find it?
Police have already confirmed their plans about what they’ll do once they find the animal.
Last night they said that rather than shooting it as many expected, they plan to use tranquiliser darts to seize the lioness while they take it to an animal shelter.
Kleinmanchnow mayor Michael Grubert added that if the lioness poses a threat to human life, they’ll, unfortunately, have to kill it.
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Search set to ‘intensify’
Kleinmachnow Mayor Michael Grubert told local broadcaster RBB on late Thursday that police officers will be searching the forest near Kleinmachnow and Zehlendorf on Friday.
“Professional animal track searchers” will also be joining them.
He is expecting the search to “intensify” on Friday as he said: “We have to say that this can’t carry on for days.”
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Residents hearing roars
As authorities desperately search for the missing lioness on the loose, residents reported that they’ve heard lions’ roars during the night.
Berlin police said that locals reported seeing the lioness and heard roars in the nearby Zehlendorf area near the city limits.
Residents living in the southern districts of Kleinmachnow, Teltow and Stahnsdorf were advised to stay indoors as police are joined by an expert on animal tracks on their hunt today.
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Police statement
A massive police operation is underway including a helicopter and thermal imaging cameras to locate the missing animal.
A police spokesperson said: “We have deployed massive forces at the site to protect the population.”
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Police provide update as search continues
Local police have taken to Twitter to provide their latest update.
The tweet reads: ”The search for the #Löwin was unsuccessful during the night and will be continued today.
”If you see the animal, we ask you to provide this information via the emergency call 110.”
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Escaped lion on the loose in Berlin as beast spotted ‘with kill’
German cops have urged people to stay indoors as a suspected lioness was spotted on the loose in the capital.
Officers advised the residents of Berlin’s southern suburbs not to leave their houses and to keep their pets indoors.
A massive police operation is underway in the area including a helicopter and thermal imaging cameras to locate the missing animal.
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Locals saw big cat ‘attack wild boar’
Two men reported seeing a big cat running after a wild boar, the latter common in and around Berlin, police spokesman Daniel Kiep said.
He told BILD: “Around midnight, witnesses saw a predator tearing down a wild boar.
“We also got video material about it. It is therefore a lioness. There is currently no reason for us to doubt its authenticity.”
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How many people do lions kill every year?
Lions are deemed one of the fiercest, most dangerous creatures in the animal kingdom.
But how many human lives do they take every year?
Lions kill around 250 people each year, according to Statista.
For context, this is half the amount of deaths attributed to hippos.
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Do NOT approach a hungry lion, says Tiger King star Carole Baskin
Tiger King star Carole Baskin has issued an urgent warning over what to do if you come face-to-face with a hungry lion.
The advice comes as a big cat, believed to be a lioness, is reportedly on the loose in Berlin, Germany.
Find out more below.
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Previous animal escapes
It’s not the first time Germans have been told to be on the lookout for wild animals on the loose.
In May, residents in the central German city of Erfurt were jolted by the sight of a kangaroo hopping across a busy road after escaping from a private property.
In 2016, German zookeepers had to shoot dead a lion after it escaped from its enclosure in the eastern city of Leipzig and a tranquilliser failed to stop it.
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Terrified locals told ‘stay inside’ as ‘Operation Lion Hunt’ continued into the night
A police operation continued through the night with residents warned to ”stay inside”.
Cops had been scouring the woodland late into the night before their orders changed, on the suggestion of veterinarians and other officials.
Find out more below.
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Residents urged to stay home
Two men reported seeing a big cat running after a wild boar, the latter common in and around Berlin, police spokesman Daniel Kiep said.
He told BILD: “Around midnight, witnesses saw a predator tearing down a wild boar.
“We also got video material about it. It is therefore a lioness. There is currently no reason for us to doubt its authenticity.”
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Where is the current search area?
Brandenburg police warned residents in the districts of Kleinmachnow, Teltow and Stahnsdorf to watch out for a potentially dangerous animal on the loose.
They tweeted: “The wild animal that escaped has not yet been found!
“We ask you not to leave your houses.”
The search area was then extended further into southern Berlin as the animal remained free.
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Officers investigate whether it has come from a private household
German cops are hunting for a suspected lioness that was spotted loose in Berlin today.
Officers were investigating whether it may have come from a private household.
This wouldn’t be the first time that a wild animal had got loose as in May, residents in the central German city of Erfurt were jolted by the sight of a kangaroo hopping across a busy road after escaping from a private property.
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Lion will be ‘unpredictable’
Vet Dr. Fred Willizkat told Bild that lions on the loose are not necessarily hungry but they’re unpredictable.
“That’s what makes it dangerous,” he said.
“A lion can attack anything that he doesn’t know and that scares him.”
A local resident, Mariam B said: “The lioness must have been right on our doorstep because the police searched there very intensively!”
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Public warned on what to do if they see the lion
Members of the public have been advised by the police to “act with appropriate caution” and to “seek shelter immediately” if they see the lion.
If anyone does see the lion then they should call the emergency number 110 to inform the police.
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