The Civil Guard is searching for an alleged lion that was seen near the Convent of Piélago, located in the Sierra de San Vicente, in the Spanish province of Toledo. A distributor alerted authorities about the animal on Wednesday, according to information provided by Civil Guard sources to the Efe agency.
To assist in locating the animal, the Community of Madrid mobilized at least one helicopter, in addition to drones operated by the Toledo police command, and patrols are covering the area. The Nature Protection Service (Seprona) has also been called in to participate in the operation.
However, there is no confirmation that the animal is actually a lion. Authorities are verifying whether the observed characteristics could belong to Tibetan Mastiff dogs, whose locations are being checked. Furthermore, potential escape sites for a lion in the region, such as the Safari Zoo Fauna Aventura, are being investigated, although no institution has officially reported such an escape yet.
Local administrations notified residents in neighboring areas. The president of the local authority of Almendral de la Cañada informed the Efe agency that the possibility of a loose lion generated 'surprise' and 'nervousness' among inhabitants.