ON THE HUNT
Cops hunting ‘Beast of Berlin lion’ swoop in on dog park after ‘roaring sounds heard overnight’ probed
GERMAN cops are still scouring a woodland area in Berlin as their search for the missing lioness enters its second day.
Hundreds of officers joined "Operation Lion Hunt" in the capital's southern suburbs but no trace of the animal was found overnight.
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The Brandenburg police said early today there is still no sign of the missing big cat and today's search efforts will be focused in the Wannsee-Düppel dog park.
A massive police operation resumed this morning with another 120 cops as professional hunters and vets armed with tranquilising guns joined the efforts to capture the animal safely.
Terrified residents in the districts of Kleinmachnow, Teltow and Stahnsdorf have been warned to "stay inside" as it is feared the escaped lioness is hiding in the Nikolassee forest.
Officers frantically looking for the lioness last night, had to investigate further after locals reported hearing "roaring sounds"- but it turned out to be a sick hoax, Rbb reported.
read more on the hunt for the 'lioness'
Berlin cops tweeted: "Our colleagues investigated this together with a veterinarian and the city hunter.
"Even with the help of a drone, the clues could not be confirmed."
However two firefighters claimed they had spotted the lioness in the afternoon, police said.
German newspaper, using geo-software to pinpoint the location where the lioness was spotted, reported it was feet away from a property.
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Police spokesperson Daniel Keip said: "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."
Michael Grubert, the mayor of Kleinmachnow, said the lioness is also said to have been sighted in his community.
"It can't go on like this for days," he told Bild while he noted the warning is still in place.
But an animal expert warned the escaped lioness could have actually wandered to a different city.
Markus Köchling explained: "When the streets are less crowded, maybe she'll start walking. Lions usually sleep in captivity at night.
"In the case of the lioness, however, I assume that she tends to wander in the dark.
"Then it can happen that she covers 10 to 15 kilometers within a few hours and runs to another urban area."
Since local zoo, circus or wildlife sanctuary has reported a creature missing, the animal was presumably kept illegally as a pet.
Markus does not think it will be able to return to its owner and added: "Unlike a dog, which is regularly walked by its master, the lioness doesn't know Kleinmachnow. "
Five experienced hunters with tranquilliser guns were said to be combing the region alongside veterinarians, while police used thermal imagery to scour the area.
A 15-ton special task force armoured vehicle known as "Survivor" also entered the hunt to assist the helicopters and drones.
More than 100 police officers had stepped up on duty and a police spokesman said multiple groups were out last night.
"We're following up on every tip," they said.
Horrified residents have been warned to stay indoors and continue avoiding the southern forest areas of Berlin beyond the city limits.
German authorities have been baffled by the sightings as no local zoo, circus or wildlife sanctuary has reported a creature missing.
"We don't know where it came from," he said.
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Meanwhile, Tiger King star Carole Baskin has issued an urgent warning about what to do if you come face-to-face with a hungry lion.
Carole told The Sun that the "alarming" reports raise "serious concerns" about where the beast came from and how it was contained.
The Netflix star advised: "My guidance to anyone who encounters her is to keep their distance and contact authorities immediately.
"Do not approach or interact with her, as she may interpret it as aggression.
"If raised by humans she will be more inclined to fight than flee.
"Her powerful natural weapons mean any direct contact risks severe injury."
She also advised if the animal is pumped up with adrenaline, a tranquilliser dart may not have been effective so remain cautious.
The search for the animal was launched yesterday morning as police arrived with hunters, helicopters, armoured cars, drones and tranquilliser guns.
A police spokesperson yesterday said: "We have deployed massive forces at the site to protect the population."
"We are currently working on the assumption that the animal is a lioness," a spokesperson later added.
The suspected lioness was first sighted by locals who reported seeing a big cat running after a wild boar.
"Around midnight, witnesses saw a predator tearing down a wild boar," police spokesman Daniel Kiep told , adding that wild boars are common in the area.
"We also got video material about it. It is therefore a lioness. There is currently no reason for us to doubt its authenticity."
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The search area was then extended further into southern Berlin as the animal remained free.
Vet Dr. Fred Willizkat told that lions on the loose are not necessarily hungry but they're unpredictable.
"That's what makes it dangerous," he said.
"A lion can attack anything that he doesn't know and that scares him."
A local resident, Mariam B said: "The lioness must have been right on our doorstep because the police searched there very intensively!"
“Dogs were barking all over the neighbourhood. We were told over the loudspeaker that we were not allowed to leave the house" she told .
"Now we were finally allowed to take our children to the day care centre.”
Another local mother, Beate Geeske, said: "I think it's good that the children aren't allowed out.
"But I didn't worry too much on the way here. I walked where there are still people on the street.”
A Kleinmachnow spokesperson said children at kindergartens are not allowed to enter the gardens, while sellers at local markets were advised not to set up stalls yet.
She added: "There are hardly any people there. This sort of thing doesn't happen every day."
Should anyone run into the wild animal, the main thing is not to panic, said Florian Eiserlo of the Four Paws animal welfare organisation.
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"Stand still, stay calm, try to head to a safe area such as a car or a building," Eiserlo told the Rheinische Post.
Once the animal is found, it will likely be sedated with a tranquilliser and taken to an animal shelter, said police spokesperson Kiep.
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