In the southwest of Berlin, police are looking for a creature they think is a lioness.
At around midnight on Wednesday, according to a police spokeswoman, they got calls and a video alerting them to the wild animal. They immediately started their hunt.
The search for the huge cat involved at least 30 police vehicles and the assistance of veterinarians.
The public has been advised to remain indoors until it is located.
According to German news outlet Bild, police yelled to joggers to "get out of the woods quickly" on Thursday evening after saying they had "just seen" the lioness and that the hunt for her had turned "hot."
Mayor of Kleinmachnow Michael Grubert said that although a search officer has since observed the animal, authorities have not been able to confirm the initial reports of its appearance.
It also looked that a lioness was in a densely forested residential area of Kleinmachnow in a video uploaded on Twitter that authorities believe is authentic.
It's uncertain where the animal originated, though. No lions have escaped from local zoos, animal sanctuaries, or circuses, according to these organisations.
Public station RBB quoted police spokesperson Daniel Keip as saying, "In the summer, you frequently hear tales of crocodiles in bathing lakes, but it turns out all it was was a huge duck.
It is obviously entirely real in this instance. We're dealing with a lioness that's free-roaming through Kleinmachnow, Teltow, and Stahnsdorf.
A Teltow circus director named Michel Rogall, who was awakened by police around 2:00 local time, isn't so sure.
To quote him, "If it's a lion, I'll eat my hat," according to the Tagesspiegel. Furthermore, he told Reuters that there was no travelling circus with wild animals in eastern Germany "and they wouldn't escape either [if there was]".
It has been recommended to residents to stay inside and keep their pets with them. The police have also advised people to stay away from the jungle and find safety right away if they notice the lioness.
In this situation, it is clearly 100 percent real. We have a lioness that is roving freely around Kleinmachnow, Teltow, and Stahnsdorf.
Michel Rogall, the director of the Teltow circus, isn't so sure. He was roused by the police at around 2:00 local time.
He said, "If it's a lion, I'll eat my hat," the Tagesspiegel said. In addition, he informed Reuters that "if there were a travelling circus with wild animals in eastern Germany, they wouldn't escape either"
Residents have been advised to stay inside and keep their pets close by. In addition, the police have warned citizens to avoid the jungle and immediately seek refuge if they spot the lioness.
Authorities, according to Mr. Grubert, were concentrating their search on a sizable area adjacent to a wood where dog walkers congregate. The lioness might be dozing off there, according to authorities.
No panic or hysteria, he continued, but "we do urge people not to go running or cycling in the woods."
He said, "Our hunters are also outfitted with ammunition." "To capture is the initial goal. Police will only use more force if their lives or the lives of others are in risk.
In addition to drones and heat-seeking cameras, helicopters have also been used to track down the elusive animal, according to Mr. Grubert.
The search is also being assisted by veterinarians and hunters equipped with tranquillizer rifles, and according to local media, police are employing an armoured truck typically used in counterterrorism operations.
If someone encounters the animal, they should not become alarmed, Florian Eiserlo of the Four Paws animal care organisation advised the Rheinische Post newspaper.
They advised people to "stand still, remain calm, and try to move to a safe area such as a car or a building."
Berlin's local media is also rife with advice on what to do if one does come across a lioness, including refraining from fleeing or panicking and carefully backing away.
If the animal was a lioness, it was probably kept as a pet, according to Vanessa Amoroso, head of Four Paws' wild animals in commerce team.
She claimed that because of Europe's patchy legal framework and the fact that several nations permit big cats as pets, trading in them is made much simpler.
Ms. Amoroso urged the German government to impose restrictions on persons who trade in and raise exotic animals.
"Effective measures are needed to counter the ease with which prospective buyers can obtain animals through online platforms and exchanges," she continued. "Germany's position as one of the world's largest markets for wild animals as pets demands these measures."
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