A “big feline” was seen on October 13 in freedom near Auxi-le-Château (Pas-de-Calais), said Thursday the gendarmerie, which launched research to find the mysterious animal after having lost its trace.
The beast was seen by about twenty gendarmes on Wednesday evening, after the report of a resident, said the local gendarmerie, confirming information from the newspaper The voice of the North.
“We are not sure whether it is a lion or a lioness. But it is certain that it is a big feline, ”she told Agence France-Presse. “Calls for caution have been addressed locally to the population, in particular by door-to-door”.
According to the gendarmerie, “the animal does not fear humans and does not flee homes”. “Armed forces” could be deployed to protect the population.
The gendarmerie even enlisted the services of the French Biodiversity Office to track down the animal, “trying to determine its area of development”, but also “its exact species” thanks to its traces and excrement.
