The mystery of the black panther observed in Bulgaria and Romania: The fingerprint indicates something else, say the Bulgarian experts
The wild animal whose presence was reported a few days ago on the territory of Bulgaria and which would have been seen in Romania, in Giurgiu, could actually be a large dog, reports the Bulgarian novinite citing experts.
After 11 days of searches of a mysterious black cat, the authorities raised the prohibition to enter the region of the Şumen Plateau in Bulgaria, because the animal remained unpaid, the website novinite.com, quoted by News.ro.
Experts are now questioning the evidence that triggered the search, some suggesting that the traces of the mud may not belong to a black panther, but rather to a large dog.
Associate professor Dr. Stoian Lazarov, a zoologist at the National Museum of Natural History within the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, told Nova TV that the paw fingerprint could be actually a big dog.
He referred to a statement presented by his colleague, Professor Nikolay Spasov, the Ministry of Agriculture, who scientifically confirmed that the paw presented in filming belongs to a large dog and has no connection with any feline.
“They would not hide in dense forests”
Despite the initial concerns, there was no solid evidence to confirm the existence of a Black Panther escaped from the area. Lazarov expressed his skepticism about the validity of a large-scale video recording that would present the animal.
He stressed that if the feline had been grown in captivity, it would probably have not been adapted to hunt wild prey and have sought light sources of food near human settlements, such as chickens, stray dogs or cats.
According to the expert, such an animal would have few reasons to hide in dense forests, preferring to stay near the villages and hamlets, where food is more accessible. He also noted that the predator would not attack people unless they caused and suggested that if the animal had captured, it would be best hosted in a zoo.
The black panther, also sought in Romania
On June 30, the Romanian authorities informed that an appeal to 112, received at 3:00, announced that such an animal was seen in the Istru neighborhood in Giurgiu. The gendarmes who moved urgently in the area did not find the feline.
“On 30.06.2025, around 03:00, a crew from the Giurgiu County Gendarmes Inspectorate was directed in the Istru district of Giurgiu, following an 112 call, by which a person noticed that an animal seemed to be a black panther. area.
The gendarmes sent to the Istru neighborhood remained in the area until 9:00. The gendarmerie specifies that “the activities of verification and monitoring of the nearby areas” have been permanent “and recommends to citizens that in such situations they will call the unique emergency number 112, not to try to intervene, in order not to endanger their lives, and to respect the recommendations of law enforcement.
According to Giurgiu Police officials, before the presence of the Black Pantera was reported at 112 on the night of June 29 to 30, a call received at 112 on Sunday, June 29, at 3:55 pm, announced that in the area of Puieni, Giurgiu county, the traces of a wild animal, possibly panther, were found. The call was given by a man who reported that he discovered the traces of animal about three hours before calling 112.
The Novinite news agency in Bulgaria reported on Monday that, after being observed and sought for over a week in the area of Şumen, a black panther was seen near the Beli Lom dam, on the road to Ruse. The person who alerted the Bulgarian authorities reported that the animal was near a main road.
