German police continue to search for a lioness on the loose in a Berlin suburb, with helicopters and armoured vehicles used in counter-terrorism deployed to track down the beast.
Authorities were alerted during the early hours of Thursday morning after residents in the south-western outskirts of the city claimed to have seen the wild cat in the woods.
At least 30 police cars were deployed alongside commandos, drone fleets and veterinarians to help with the search, with local residents told to stay indoors until it is found.
On Thursday evening, a police officer was heard shouting “get out of the woods quickly!” to joggers, with his colleague telling residents: “it’s heating up, it was just seen”.
Despite this, the location of the lioness remained elusive overnight with specialist hunters carrying tranquiliser guns and machine pistols remaining at various locations around Kleinmachnow.
A video shared on Twitter, which police believe to be real, appears to show the lioness wandering through a wooded area near the affluent suburb.
Bild, the German tabloid, used geolocation software to pinpoint the exact location, which was revealed to be just 30 metres from a residential building.
Local zoos, sanctuaries and circuses have all denied that one of their lions had escaped, causing speculation that the cat had been kept privately as a pet or was a false alarm.
Michael Grubert, the mayor of Kleinmachnow, sought to reassure local residents that the animal would be caught swiftly, and if possible without bloodshed.
A sniffer dog is brought in for the search— (Reuters)
“Our hunters... are also equipped with ammunition... the first objective is to capture,” he said. “Other measures will only be taken by police officers if their lives or the lives of others are endangered.”
He also warned residents against outdoor activities, saying: “I wouldn’t go jogging.”
Children have been advised not to ride bikes, and the local nursery school will not allow its pupils out to play tomorrow as the search is ongoing.
Police spokesperson Daniel Keip told RBB that "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."
Residents have been advised to stay indoors and to keep their pets with them, while guidance has been issued for people to avoid the forest and seek shelter immediately if they see the lioness.
Florian Eiserlo of the Four Paws animal welfare organisation told the Rheinische Post newspaper that if anyone runs into the animal, they should not panic.
"Stand still, stay calm, try to head to a safe area such as a car or a building," they said.
Despite this, some residents remain sceptical with local circus director Michel Rogall telling the Taggespiel newspaper: “If it’s a lion, I’ll eat my hat.”
