With no sign of a lioness on the loose on the outskirts of Berlin, German authorities have called off their hunt.
After receiving reports of a wild animal from the public, police officers searched for almost 24 hours but turned up nothing. In the regions where the animal was seen, no paw prints or DNA evidence (such as animal excrement) were discovered.
Experts were consulted, and it was decided that the animal was likely a wild boar. The search was eventually stopped after the employment of drones, helicopters, and heat-seeking cameras.
Not a Lioness
A brief, shaky video captured by a member of the public in the early hours of Thursday, July 20, set off the frenzied hunt. A wild animal, maybe a lion, was shown walking about in the woods near the village of Kleinmachnow.
During the course of the search, two police officers reported seeing a "big cat" from a distance of roughly 20 meters (65 feet).
However, Kleinmachnow Mayor Michael Grubert remarked during a news conference on Friday, July 21, that all signs point to it not being a lioness, BBC News reported.
He displayed photos that demonstrated the animal in the video was not a lion since it lacked the distinctive long, curved neck of the animal. He added that what seemed to be a lengthy tail with a bob in the video may have really been a shadow generated by plants.
Grubert reassured the public that there was no severe danger, adding that police would stay vigilant in case things altered.
Martina Bellack, a spokesperson for the municipality of Kleinmachnow, claimed that two specialists, including one from South Africa, had been sent in to examine the footage. "Both came to the conclusion there was no way it was a lion," she stated.
Another expert told RBB, a Berlin radio station, that the animal appeared more like a boar. Apparently, such an animal is prevalent in the area.
The Hunt for the Wild Animal
As many as 120 law enforcement and wildlife specialists were engaged in the hunt at one point. People were urged to remain inside, to not leave their pets alone, and to steer clear of the woods.
During the search, BBC said that police received reports of up to a dozen probable sightings of the animal overnight, including in the wealthy Zehlendorf neighborhood inside Berlin itself.
Authorities were not happy when several youths began blasting roaring lion noises from a speaker close to where they were searching. Police spokesperson Kerstin Schröder told RBB that such an act would not help either the local community or the police in their hunt for the animal.
