The search for the lioness in Berlin and Brandenburg has been stopped for the time being. But the police are still on site – and a veterinarian has doubts about the wild boar theory.
Potsdam – For more than a day, the police with hunters and other professionals in the community of Kleinmachnow searched for a wild animal in Brandenburg and in the bordering south of Berlin – after a lioness, as it was initially called. There had been a video and several sightings of the animal, which the police classified as credible and searched for the big cat in a large-scale operation.
However, the search finally ended on Friday afternoon (July 21). According to the mayor of Kleinmachnow, Michael Grubert (SPD), and the police had no more evidence that it was a lioness. All that was found was evidence of the lively activity of wild boars on site.
Potsdam veterinarian: The Berlin lioness would be a “very mutated wild boar”
The warning about the lioness in Berlin was lifted. For all cases, the emergency services remained “for the time being with an increased police presence on site and can be contacted by the citizens at any time,” explained Brandenburg’s Minister of the Interior Michael Stübgen (CDU). It is still questionable whether the danger of a free-roaming big cat can actually be 100 percent ruled out. Because the opinions of experts differ.
Georg Messerer, a professional and certified expert in securing evidence, had the Analyze the body shape and posture of the animal recognizable on the video permit. Both came to the conclusion that it was by no means a lion, according to the information from the German Press Agency (dpa). Therefore, everything indicates that it was a wild boar.
The veterinarian Michaela Ebeling from Kleinmachnow, on the other hand, who was there live in the search for a lioness in Potsdam, is not very sure. “That would be a very mutated wild boar,” she explained to the Markische Allgemeine Zeitung (MAZ). On the video you can see: “The animal in it has a short, round head and round ears – like the head of a big cat. Wild boar have a long head with short, pointed ears.”
Potsdam: wild boar or lioness? Laboratory to analyze traces
The results of the analysis of the traces that were secured during the search for the alleged lioness will probably only bring absolute clarity. “Unfortunately, the laboratory analysis of the hair and faeces samples secured at the first viewing point is not yet complete,” said city spokeswoman Martina Bellack on Saturday (July 22). “Unfortunately, results are not expected until Monday.”
Veterinarian Ebeling is also waiting for further evidence. The next few days would show whether it was a lioness or a wild boar. “If there are sightings again, (…) then the situation will certainly be reassessed,” she summarizes MAZ. “We have to wait.” (n / A)