Reported sightings of a large, wild feline in Bulgaria have prompted a stream of images, memes and dubious claims online.

Shumen

Authorities in Shumen, Bulgaria, have launched a search following reports and video footage of a large black cat, described by some as a panther, roaming a local park. Police have advised the public to avoid the area, and experts from both Bulgaria and South Africa have joined the investigation.

While social media has been flooded with images and claims, big cat experts have expressed skepticism about some of the footage, suggesting that at least one video likely shows a domestic cat rather than a wild panther. Authorities suspect the animal, if real, may have escaped from an illegal private zoo, but previous European sightings have often turned out to be misidentified animals or escaped exotic pets.

Fact-checking claims about the 'panther' on the loose in Bulgaria

Fact-checking claims about the panther on the loose in Bulgaria. Bulgaria has been on high alert in recent days following the alleged sighting of a large black cat or panther in the eastern city of Shumen. Authorities began searching for the animal after a video appeared on social media showing a black silhouette with a tail roaming a park near the monument to the founders of the Bulgarian state. Such big cats generally feed off animals like rodents and deer, and while there have been reported black cat attacks on humans in Europe before, they are unverified. Some wild big cat sightings in the likes of the UK and Spain ended up being likely exotic pet escapes, while similar occurrences in the Netherlands and Germany turned out to be misidentified domestic cats or boars. Regardless, the situation in Bulgaria has prompted a stream of images, memes and dubious claims online worthy of debunking. To begin with, yes, Bulgarian authorities really do suspect that a large black cat is on the loose. According to Euronews' Bulgarian service, regional police in Shumen have warned against visiting the park where the animal was reportedly seen. The head of Bulgaria's Central Balkan National Park also said it has enlisted the help of the hunting sector and experts from South Africa as authorities continue with their search. Another video has since emerged allegedly showing the much younger animal wandering around the Bulgarian countryside two years ago. However, Euroverify spoke to big cat experts who said that it's more likely a domestic cat in this video because big cats typically have larger heads and longer, sleeker tails. When considering the search for the animal in general, they said it's possible that it escaped from captivity, lining up with police suspicions that it ran away from an illegal private zoo owned by organized crime figures.

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