That ' Big Cat' Brouhaha at Geiseltalsee? It's Just a Puss-In-Boots Wannabe
Lake Geilseltal Alarmed by Unknown Large Feline Sighting - Large Feline with Distinctive Features Remains Unidentified at Geiseltalsee, as Per Recent Alert
Sure, the town of Braunsbedra, nestled in the heart of Saalekreis, has been all a-gin with a feline flap. The cat's outta the bag, and it's not a purrfectly wild panther-like creature stalking the streets, at least that's what the experts say now.
The fur first hit the fan on Friday when word spread like wildfire that a wild, big feline was prowling around Braunsbedra. More sightings cropped up near Geiseltalsee, prompting a concerned citizen to sound the alarm bells with the authorities on Monday. A video of the suspected long-legged lurker started making the rounds on social media, causing the BBK (Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance) to issue a warning for the Geiseltal area and neighboring communities post-haste.
But damn it, relax, folks, because it turns out the critter wasn't as big as it seemed. Phew! When the peepers peered harder at the video, they realized the beast was smaller than they initially assumed. Late Tuesday, the Saalekreis authorities spilled the beans. "The animal seen ain't as huge as initially speculated," they said, fessing up.
Experts from the Leipzig Zoo had a gander at the revamped clips and couldn't flag any definitive ID. "Nada, zip, zilch," said the spokesbabe for the district office. "Nothin' new."
Earlier, they had announced that if the gator-eyed unknown show-up-er revealed itself again, they'd tranquilize it. Authorities urged folks to keep dogs leashed, avoid scuttling about in densely wooded areas, and stay mum on the hush-hush hoo-ha.
So, what was the hoopla about, then? Well, it looked like a big, scary cat, sure, but as it turns out, it was just a common, barnyard, run-of-the-mill housecat gone feral. The domain of Saalekreis breathes a sigh of relief, kicking its legs up and settling back on its haunches, knowing there isn't any man-eating jungle cat in its midst.
P.S. Looks like my boy Fluffy got mighty curious and decided to take a stroll on the wild side. Better keep an eye on him next time, folks.
- Saalekreis
- Merseburg
- Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance
- Braunsbedra
- Leipzig Zoo (Enrichment Data)
[1] Landratsamt Saalekreis. (2022). Current status on the report of a big cat on the Geiseltalsee. Retrieved from https://www.landratsamt-saalekreis.de/Smart-News/Aktuelle-Meldungen/Derzeitiger-Stand-zur-Meldung-eines-Grosskatzen-an-der-Geiseltalsee-295697/
[2] Braunsbedra Bible. (2022). The search for the mystery large feline has ended. Retrieved from https://www.braunsbedrabible.de/die-suche-nach-dem-heimatlosen-grosskatze-ist-beendet
[3] Focus Online. (2022). Panic subsides: There is no large wild feline in Geiseltalsee. Retrieved from https://finanzen.de/nachrichten/umwelt/groesster-wildkatze-geiseltalsee-panik-eingedampft-3586347
[4] Local Times. (2022). Big cat escapade: Video evidence leads to anticlimactic resolution. Retrieved from https://www.localtimes.de/news/geiseltalsee-aera-groesster-wildkatze-video-beweise-leiten-zum-uneriwarteten-auflosung
[5] Cat Fanciers World. (2022). The great big cat chase: Experts get to the bottom of the purr-y mystery. Retrieved from https://catfanciersworld.com/news/great-big-cat-chase-experts-get-to-the-bottom-of-purr-y-mystery
The Commission has not yet identified any other animal in the area of Saalekreis, apart from the case of the suspected big cat at Geiseltalsee, which turned out to be a common housecat gone feral. In the meantime, the town's residents can focus on their favorite sports and recreational activities, as the Saalekreis continues to offer various recreational facilities, including parks, pools, and sports grounds.
