Residents reported a black panther in Dupnitsa, prompting a police investigation and sparking social media jokes. The search for the feline continues. A villager filmed an animal he believes matches the description of the dangerous panther, capturing it moving through tall grass. Mayor Desislav Nachov visited the site with police and inspected the area personally. Authorities questioned the witness who filmed the footage shown to Euronews. Nachov said police have not decided whether to open an emergency headquarters. The witness described the animal as similar to a large dog. Dupnitsa sits 66 kilometres south of Sofia and near the Serbian border, over 430 kilometres west of Shumen plateau nature park, where the cat first appeared.
Past Searches and Expert Analysis
Authorities locked down Shumen plateau for nearly two weeks while searching for the cat. The search began on 19 June after viral videos and paw prints suggested a dangerous predator roamed the area. Officials ended the operation in mid-July, finding no conclusive evidence. Zoologist Dr. Stoyan Lazarov argued that the paw print probably belonged to a large dog. Professor Nikolay Spasov agreed, confirming the print did not belong to a feline. Teams set camera traps and bait stations, but no sightings or traces emerged. Georgi Krastev, Central Balkan National Park director, described the animal’s movements as erratic and unpredictable. Rumours of a pair of cats or a pregnant female with cubs circulated but authorities dismissed these claims.
Big Cats Roaming Europe
In 2021, residents in Bari, Italy, reported seeing a panther, prompting authorities to warn locals to stay away from the countryside. Officials in eastern Slovakia advised caution in 2022 after a tiger appeared near the border. The UK also saw multiple reports of roaming panthers, though experts often questioned the sightings’ authenticity.
