Tiger on loose scare near Paris
WHILE visitors to Disneyland Paris expect to meet a range of colourful characters, they probably weren’t banking on getting quite this close to a real tiger.
Police last night descended on the town of Montevrain, just a few miles from the Euro Disney resort, following reports of a big cat roaming a supermarket car park.
Residents were told to stay indoors if possible and avoid confronting the animal, which wildlife experts said looked to be a ‘small tiger’ judging by its tracks.
It was first seen on a grassy hill near some tennis courts in the town, where one local managed to take a grainy pic- ture. The area was cordoned off by police. A local council spokesman warned residents: ‘We urge caution, and please do not walk around the area behind the tennis courts and football pitches. We repeat, do not walk around ... take your car instead.’
Jean-Baptiste Berdeaux, who manages the Intermarche supermarket where the beast was also spotted, told the AFP news agency: ‘My wife saw it this morning. She didn’t get out of the car and called me to say, “I think I saw a lynx”.’
Police marksmen equipped with tranquillisers were trying to track the big cat down last night, saying that the aim was to capture it alive.
A spokesman for Euro Disney, which is around five miles away, said the animal was nothing to do with the resort as it does not keep live tigers.
There was a circus in Montevrain earlier this month, but all its animals – including tigers – are accounted for.