Residents in Dupnitsa claimed to see a black panther, prompting a police investigation and sparking viral memes. A villager filmed a dark animal he believed could be the dangerous feline. Mayor Desislav Nachov visited the filming site with police and assessed the area. Authorities are questioning the witness who recorded footage showing a large black animal moving through tall grass. Nachov stated that police have not yet decided whether to establish an emergency search headquarters. He added that the witness compared the creature to a large dog. Dupnitsa sits roughly 66 kilometres south of Sofia and near the Serbian border, over 430 kilometres west of Shumen plateau nature park, where earlier sightings occurred.
Previous Search and Expert Findings
Officials locked down Shumen plateau for nearly two weeks while searching for the cat. The search began on 19 June after paw prints and a widely shared video triggered fears of a predator. Authorities called off the search in mid-July after failing to find conclusive evidence. Zoologist Dr. Stoyan Lazarov suggested the paw print likely came from a large dog. Professor Nikolay Spasov confirmed the print showed no feline traits. Teams set camera traps and bait stations but found no sightings or physical traces. Georgi Krastev, director of Central Balkan National Park, described the animal’s movements as unpredictable and erratic. Rumours that the panther included a female with cubs or a pair of cats were dismissed.
Other European Big Cat Sightings
In 2021, residents in Bari, Italy, reported seeing a panther, prompting authorities to warn locals to avoid rural areas. Slovakian officials urged caution in 2022 after a tiger appeared near the border. The UK also saw repeated reports of panthers roaming the countryside, though experts questioned the authenticity of these claims.
