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Big cat at Geiseltalsee? Experts reassure the population!
In the Saalekreis, Saxony-Anhalt, the sighting of a possible predator at Geiseltalsee is causing excitement and warnings from the authorities.
Big cat at Geiseltalsee? Experts reassure the population!
There has been great excitement in the Saalekreis, Saxony-Anhalt, in the last few days. The reason? A possible sighting of a predator that prompted police to warn of a possible escaped big cat, possibly a puma, near Geiseltalsee near Braunsbedra on June 16. The authorities appealed to the population to exercise caution, avoid meadows and forests and to contact the emergency number 112 in the event of a sighting. This exciting news spread rapidly and generated a lot of interest in the region. Thüringen24 reports that Police were monitoring the area widely after a video that appeared to show a large tomcat was recorded by a witness.
There was a similar incident in the region four years earlier when a leopard was suspected. Last year, when a supposed lioness was spotted, it turned out that it was just a wild boar. Such misunderstandings seem to be common in this area. But the all-clear was given on Tuesday: A new video intended to capture the animal showed a smaller animal, and authorities now believed it was likely a large wild cat, not a cougar. ZDF Today reports that Mayor Steffen Schmitz also confirmed that it was probably an ordinary cat, which somewhat dampened the excitement that had already been stirred up.
Insightful research
To better assess the sightings, a staff member was sent to the recording location to conduct a size analysis of the animal. A cat that happened to pass by helped us to better assess the situation. Experts even created an image montage to visualize the actual size of the animal spotted. This ultimately led to the warning being lifted by the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance. According to ZDF Today The search for the alleged predator has been suspended for the time being, but the authorities remain on standby until new information becomes available.
Particular attention is paid to the European wildcat (Felis silvestris), which has seen an increase in sightings in Germany in recent years. As the Retscheider Hof reports, there were almost 1,000 reports from 2015 to 2021 that indicate that these animals are spreading into new areas. It should be noted here that the number of proofs of reproduction and sightings increased until December 2023, which is also reflected in Saxony-Anhalt, where there are currently seven reports.