Villagers in Dupnitsa reported spotting a black panther, triggering a police investigation and widespread memes. A resident filmed an animal he believed to be the dangerous feline.
Mayor Desislav Nachov visited the site with police officers and inspected the area where the footage appeared. Authorities questioned the witness who recorded the video showing a large black animal moving through tall grass. Nachov explained police have not decided whether to create an emergency headquarters to organize a search. The witness described the animal as resembling a large dog. Dupnitsa lies about 66 kilometres south of Sofia and near the Serbian border, over 430 kilometres west of Shumen plateau nature park, where earlier panther sightings occurred.
Previous Search Efforts and Expert Analysis
Officials locked down Shumen plateau for nearly two weeks while searching for the animal. The search began on 19 June after paw prints and a viral video raised fears about a roaming predator. Authorities called off the hunt in mid-July without results.
Zoologists from the National Museum of Natural History doubted the panther claims. Dr. Stoyan Lazarov said the paw print likely came from a large dog. Professor Nikolay Spasov confirmed this, stating the print lacked feline features. Search teams tracked the area, deployed camera traps, and set bait stations but found no sightings or physical traces. Georgi Krastev, director of Central Balkan National Park, described the animal’s movements as erratic and unpredictable. Authorities also dismissed rumours of multiple cats or a pregnant female with cubs.
Other European Big Cat Reports
In 2021, residents in Bari, Italy, reported seeing a panther, prompting authorities to warn the public. Slovakian officials cautioned residents in 2022 after a tiger appeared near the border. The UK experienced repeated reports of roaming panthers in recent years, though experts questioned the credibility of those sightings.
