In a world where fact and fiction often dance along fine lines, Berlin has recently experienced a welcome relief. The lion alarm, which was classified as threatening and which kept the capital Berlin and the surrounding area in suspense, has officially been declared over. However, the story revolves around a surprising twist that has blurred the lines between reality and illusion, between a majestic predator and an ordinary wild boar.

30 hours of tension – Berlin’s wild ride

A lion's alarm that wasn't one

On Thursday, a routine check in Kleinmachnow took an unexpected turn. Reports of a possible lion sighting triggered a major search operation. The population was warned to be vigilant. But what started as a lion hunt became a matter of sight.

#lion in #kleinmachnow @polizeiberlin searches but can't find pic.twitter.com/hZmIcNZK7j

— deer BSC (@lqzze1) July 20, 2023

Of wild boars and false alarms

On Friday, however, the population of Kleinmachnow breathed a sigh of relief. Mayor Michael Grubert appeared before the press and announced with audible relief that the supposed lion had “almost certainly” turned out to be a local wild boar. While some laughed in dismay and others shook their heads at the news, a general feeling of relief spread across the city.

The “lion” that wasn’t one

We relied on comparison images and even presented them to a specialist company to check whether it was a lioness,” explained Grubert. “However, our suspicions were not confirmed.” Authorities were at the scene to collect a fecal sample and hair. The results of these investigations are expected on Saturday.

“Something was definitely spotted,” Grubert emphasized during the press conference. “It’s not a fake.” The search operation was initiated based on a “confirmed sighting” by the police. Grubert added: “The potential danger was assessed such that the operation, which lasted for the last two days, was fully justified.”

The search is stopped

“There is no acute danger to the population. The lioness we are looking for is not a lioness at all,” said Grubert, adding that the search for the wild animal was therefore stopped. The news marked the end of an unprecedented 30-hour period of tension in which the city sat on the edge of its seat.

The credibility of a sighting

Despite the confusion being resolved, Grubert maintained the credibility of the original sighting. “Something was seen,” he admitted. The mayor emphasized that the operation was both appropriate and absolutely justified given the unusual circumstances. The incident brought to the table the important question of whether it is better to be cautious about a potential danger than to ignore it and potentially endanger the population.

Normal operations again in Berlin

A city returns to normality

The all-clear from the mayor led to a wave of relief. From now on, normal operations will resume in Berlin and the surrounding area. Schools have reopened and traffic on the streets is flowing freely again.

Lessons from the incident

Despite the relief of the incident, important questions remain unanswered: What does it mean to be on the safe side? How will we react to possible animal observations in the future? The safety of the public should always be the top priority and dealing with unusual situations always requires quick action and prudence.

Conclusion

The 30-hour tension in Berlin and the surrounding area was undoubtedly an event that will go down in the history books. Although it turned out to be a wild boar and not a lion, this incident taught us a valuable lesson about the importance of staying safe when it comes to keeping our communities safe. It also shows us how quickly normality can turn into a state of alarm - and how sweet the relief is when the threat turns out to be more harmless than it seemed. Berlin, you are a lioness – and sometimes a wild boar. Whatever it is, this city is ready to face any challenge.

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