By Tim Binnall
Authorities in Germany have launched a massive search for what is believed to be a lioness that was seen inexplicably roaming around a suburb of Berlin. The big cat was reportedly spotted on Thursday night in the community of Kleinmachnow, which is situated on the outskirts of the country's capital city. "Around midnight we received a notification that we couldn't believe," a police spokesperson recalled to a German media outlet, "two passersby spotted an animal chasing after another. One was a wild boar and the other appeared to be a big cat." While the report may have initially sounded unfathomable at first, the witnesses actually managed to capture video of the curious creature, which prompted authorities to take the matter seriously.
A pair of subsequent sightings by two different police officers investigating the report added further confirmation that there was, indeed, what is thought to be an out-of-place lioness in the area. In response, German authorities have reportedly enlisted helicopters, drones, wildlife experts, and more than 100 members of law enforcement to try and find the big cat, but as of now the creature has managed to evade capture. With the lioness still on the prowl, officials have understandably urged residents in the communities surrounding Berlin to remain inside their homes until the strange situation is resolved.
While the whereabouts of the animal remains unknown, officials in Germany are faced with another mystery in that they cannot figure out how the creature wound up in the outskirts of Berlin in the first place. An investigation into the matter has left police puzzled as calls to zoos, circuses, and animal parks in the area have indicated that none of them are missing a lion. As such, some have suggested that the big cat could have escaped from a residence where it was an exotic pet. That said, despite the video captured by the witnesses, not everyone is convinced that the animal was properly identified as circus owner Michel Rogall told a German media outlet that it is probably just a Caucasian shepherd dog and boldly declared "if it’s a lion I’ll eat a broom."