Lion on loose in Berlin; citizens warned to stay at home

Police authorities have warned the residents of the southwestern outskirts of Berlin to remain indoors and hide their pets, as over a hundred officers are searching for an escaped lioness — which was spotted with a kill in its jaws.

The police operation commenced overnight, employing two helicopters in the search. 

As the early hours of Thursday unfolded, the operation intensified, with a hundred officers from Brandenburg, the thinly populated state encompassing the German capital, tirelessly hunting for the lioness.

"We are currently working on the assumption that the animal is a lioness," the spokesperson told Reuters via telephone.

The current search zone encompasses the Brandenburg municipalities of Kleinmachnow and Stahnsdorf.

Earlier on Thursday, the Berlin police had sent out a tweet indicating that the heightened vigilance extended to the southern border of the capital.

Germany's federal office for civil protection also issued a warning to locals, advising them to ensure their pets remain indoors as a precaution.

When questioned about the possible origin of the wild animal, the police spokesperson stated that it remains unclear. 

There are several facilities in the area capable of housing a lioness, including zoos and a circus, but none of these establishments has reported a missing animal so far.