Huge lion and its cub are on the loose in INDIANA – and cops say they have no idea where the predator came from
Police in Indiana searched for a lioness and her cub after reports that the animals were roaming in Hancock and Madison counties. The reports prompted a public-safety response because the animals, if confirmed, could pose a serious risk and authorities do not know where they originated.
A resident reported seeing an estimated 300lb lioness wearing a blue harness near South County Road 50 West at about 10am on Thursday, with a cub alongside her; a drone operator reportedly corroborated the sighting. Ground teams and thermal drones searched for four hours but found only livestock, while thick woodland and crop fields may provide cover. No sanctuaries have reported missing lions, there are no known local permits or USDA-approved licence holders, and police suspended the search on Thursday evening.
In short
- Indiana police searched for a reported lioness and cub.
- Witnesses reported a blue harness on the adult lioness.
- Authorities found no animals and do not know their origin.
Explained simply
Indiana is a US state in the Midwest, where local police and county authorities respond to reports of possible dangers to the public. A lioness is an adult female lion; a cub is a young lion. Both are wild animals, and a large lion could seriously injure people or livestock.
The reports came from Hancock and Madison counties, an area with farmland and woodland where animals could be difficult to spot. Police searched with ground teams and drones, but had not confirmed the animals’ presence or found where they might have come from. Sanctuaries and local authorities had no known record explaining their origin, leaving questions about whether they were kept privately or had escaped from somewhere else.