Authorities in northern Poland have advised residents of several villages in Ciechanów County to stay out of woodland areas following reports of a large cat that may be a puma. The warning covers the villages of Osiek-Wólka, Osiek-Aleksandrowo, Osiek Górny, and Stare Garnowo, where local officials have urged caution and recommended that children be kept under close supervision until the situation is clarified.
The sighting was reported by an experienced hunter, a retired veterinarian and an employee of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), according to Tomasz Dróżdż, head forester of the Ciechanów Forest District. The man observed the animal using a thermal imaging device and described it as roughly the size of a young wild boar, with a long, curled tail.
After the report, forest district staff were dispatched to the area. Near a puddle they found a paw print of a large cat, which could belong to a puma. However, officials have not yet been able to conclusively confirm the species.
Plans to capture, not kill
If the big cat is located, authorities have stated they do not intend to shoot it. Instead, the animal would be tranquillised and safely captured. Residents are being advised not to approach, chase, or attempt to catch the animal themselves. Anyone who spots a large cat should move to a safe place and contact emergency services.
This is not the first time this year that potential puma sightings have emerged in Poland. In July, a similar animal was spotted near Karsinka and Rekowo in the Polanów municipality in West Pomerania. That sighting was captured on video, and local authorities urged residents to stay out of the forest. The presence of a puma was later confirmed, and the animal—a young female—was safely captured, sedated, and transported to Poznań zoo for tests and quarantine.
At the end of June, another similar animal was seen near Leniuszka in the Tuczna municipality, though no capture was reported in that case.
While pumas are not native to Poland, occasional sightings have been recorded in recent years, often linked to escaped or released pets. The current incident has drawn attention to the broader challenges of managing wildlife in a densely populated region. Poland's forests, which cover nearly a third of the country, provide habitat for a range of species, but the presence of a large predator like a puma raises questions about public safety and ecological balance.
Local authorities are coordinating with forest services and emergency responders to monitor the area. They have also reminded residents that pumas are generally elusive and avoid human contact, but caution is still warranted until the animal is located.
This incident comes as Poland faces other environmental pressures, including the ongoing drought along the Vistula that has exposed the fragility of its coal-based energy infrastructure. The country's economy, meanwhile, has been growing, with Poland recently overtaking Belgium and Sweden to become the EU's sixth-largest economy.
For now, the focus in Ciechanów County remains on ensuring the safety of residents and the well-being of the animal. Officials have not provided a timeline for when the search might conclude, but they have pledged to keep the public informed as new information becomes available.
