On Thursday, a “loose, dangerous animal,” believed to be an escaped large cat, was apparently seen in the Potsdam area, which is on the outskirts of the German capital.
While officials look for what they believe to be a lioness on the loose, locals in a district south of the German capital have been ordered to stay inside.
According to the rbb public broadcaster, authorities have requested that locals stay indoors while they use helicopters to monitor what they believe to be a female lion.
Security personnel reportedly used an armored truck, drones, and infrared cameras in their search, according to the German tabloid BILD.
The search for the animal, according to the police, also included veterinarians and hunters.
In order to bypass the traditional search approach of searching woodland regions on foot, a police official said drones were being used whenever possible.
220 policemen were scouring the woodland regions close to the municipalities of Kleinmachnow, Teltow, and Stahnsdorf at the southern border of Berlin on Thursday evening, according to a police spokesperson.
The official stated that night vision equipment would be used to continue the search throughout the night.
“We will be on the job until the animal is found is found,” the spokesperson added.
Late on Thursday night, the police issued further advisories, urging people to stay away from the forested areas that surround southern Berlin.
They stated that their officers would stay overnight in the region, with the search picking back up the following morning. Professional animal trackers were anticipated to increase the scope of the hunt on Friday as they combed the woodland.
