Authorities search for possible puma near Munich airport

Police are continuing to investigate a possible puma sighting near Munich Airport, but have not confirmed what animal appears in a hunter’s thermal-camera footage, BR reported. Officials have urged people in the area to take precautions while experts analyse the images.

The footage, recorded on Tuesday evening, shows a cat-like animal grooming itself. It could be a puma, another wild cat or a domestic cat. On Thursday, police searched a nature reserve near the airport using thermal-imaging drones, a helicopter and dogs, but found no animal, tracks or prey linked to a predator.

Experts have not identified the animal

The authorities’ initial suspicion was based on an unnamed expert’s assessment of the footage. Erding district authorities said it was not yet possible to confirm that the animal was a puma. The images are being analysed further with experts, including representatives of zoos and environmental authorities.

Thomas Schreder, head of the district hunting association, told dpa that he was fairly certain the animal was not a native wild cat such as a lynx. Markus Baur, who heads Munich’s reptile rescue centre, said the animal may already have moved on. He was sceptical that it was a puma, but said the tail’s length and movement meant the possibility could not be ruled out.

No known escape or confirmed traces

Erding district authorities said they had no new information about a possible owner. A circus in nearby Hallbergmoos has no big cats, and a local animal shelter had no relevant information. Baur said there were no legal puma holdings in the greater Munich area. He also said the possibility of an animal originating from illegal wildlife trade in eastern Europe could not be ruled out.

Police said they had received 30 public tips, four of which were being examined more closely. One report of a suspicious animal proved to be a false alarm involving a domestic cat.

Police urge caution

Police will decide as needed whether to conduct further searches in the Notzinger Moos nature reserve, which covers about 30 square kilometres. Police inspection chief Sebastian Pinta said a complete search was not possible and was not the force’s aim. He said police were not hunting the animal and would intervene only to prevent a danger, as a last resort.

Erding district authorities advised residents to stay alert and report anything unusual to police. They also said young children should not play unsupervised for now and dogs should be kept on a leash. Schreder urged people not to search for the animal themselves.

Baur said he did not see an immediate danger to the public, describing pumas as very shy and attacks on people as very rare. He warned people not to approach or try to befriend the animal, because it is a wild predator.