Dozens of armed police and soldiers are paroling eastern Paris, France tonight as they react to sightings of a rogue ‘tiger’ prowling the area, which is only five miles from the popular Euro-Disney theme park.
Police were initially alerted after the animal was spotted in a supermarket car park, and has since been seen at a petrol station. French zoologists found paw-prints in the ground, believed to belong to the creature, and have announced that while they don’t believe it to be a tiger, they don’t know exactly what it is either, reports The Independent.
Police have said they are now hunting a lynx, a previously extinct species of large cat which was reintroduced to the Alps. If that is so, the lynx is over 500km away from its mountainous home. A police spokesman said yesterday they believed the animal may have escaped from a circus.
Local parents were told to keep their children indoors today, and police have been stationed at schools over fears the animal could attempt to pick off a child as an easy meal.
The response has been significant, with armed police carrying tranquilliser rifles, the fire brigade, soldiers and a helicopter being deployed to catch the errant ‘tiger’. The local mayor said: “All forces are mobilised to capture this animal”.
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