The north-eastern parts of Bulgaria have been placed on high alert on Tuesday as authorities search for a wild predator said to be a black panther on the loose for nearly a week.
Residents of the nearby city of Shumen have been warned of potentially life-threatening danger, while authorities have restricted access to the eponymous national park, where fresh prints have been found as recently as Monday.
Experts believe that the most likely explanation for the black panther's sighting is that the animal escaped from a private owner who imported it into Bulgaria illegally, as authorities across Europe struggle to eliminate unlicensed ownership of exotic pets.
The appearance of a black panther has still attracted the attention of those who might want to get a better look at it, sparking concern among the authorities.
They have repeatedly warned that the panther on the loose is extremely dangerous and should not be underestimated, as it poses a significant threat. People have been warned to steer clear of the area and if they spot it, to avoid sudden movements and retreat slowly.
"I want to urge all residents and visitors of Shumen to stop attempting to enter the nature park area," said Georgi Gendov, chief commissioner and director of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior in Shumen.
"The situation is extremely dynamic. These measures are being taken to protect the lives and health of people, which is our main priority," Gendov added.
Officials have added that the panther is not a distinct species and the predator in question is most likely a black leopard or black jaguar.
The animal is believed to have been living in the wild for weeks and is considered to be on the move, with the Stara Planina mountain range reaching as far as the border with neighbouring Serbia.
"Based on the fieldwork we are conducting and the specialists we have brought in from the hunting sector in the country, our ministry is also in contact with experts from South Africa," Head of Central Balkan National Park Georgi Krastev said.
"We send them photos of the tracks, our methods of operation, and we share experiences and gain knowledge from them. They have said that if, within three days, with the number of camera traps and feeding stations we have set up, there is still no sign, it would likely mean that the animal is no longer within the territory of the nature park," Krastev explained.
Should Shumen now be called 'Pumen'?
Meanwhile, the ongoing search for the Balkan black panther has also become a source of amusement for some, with memes circulating on social media about how the entire country cannot catch one predator.
Additionally, footage of a person who encountered the panther meowing at it appeared online, inspiring a song called "Meow" by Puma, which became a viral hit.
"There's a new saying in Bulgaria, 'A nation that meows at a panther cannot be defeated,'" some have quipped.
Other jokes, such as renaming Shumen "Pumen" or the panther enjoying a famous Balkan barbecue, have also been widely shared by social media users in Bulgaria.
It is not the first time a big cat has been reported to be on the loose in Europe. Residents reported seeing a panther around the Italian province of Bari in 2021, leading authorities to warn the public to avoid the countryside.
Authorities in eastern Slovakia also urged residents to exercise caution after a tiger was spotted in an area near the border in 2022.
There have also been several stories in the UK concerning rumoured sightings of panthers roaming the countryside in recent years, though some experts have disputed the veracity of these claims.
Shumen, with its nearly 85,000 residents, is the 10th largest city in Bulgaria and the administrative centre of the eponymous province.
