Police Hunt for Puma in Central Poland After Sightings Near Pułtusk

Following a Thursday evening report of a puma-like animal near Stawinoga, emergency services have launched a search and urged residents to exercise extreme caution.

Sighting Reported Near Stawinoga

On Thursday shortly after 6:00 PM, a person out for a walk reported to police that they spotted an animal resembling a puma in the area of Stawinoga, Zatory commune, Pułtusk county. Authorities are urging special caution and instructing the public not to approach the animal.

On Thursday, August 13, shortly after 6:00 PM, one of the residents reported to the services that during a walk in the area of Stawinoga, in a field near the forest, they noticed an animal whose appearance resembled a puma.

Connection to Previous Mazovia Sightings

This information is particularly relevant due to earlier reports concerning a large cat that had been spotted for some time in various locations across northern Mazovia. Recent information indicated its presence in Ciechanów county. It cannot be excluded that the animal reported in Stawinoga is the same individual, though there is currently no certainty.

Searches for the animal continued late into the evening. Today, the search will be resumed jointly with other services in order to capture the animal.

Public Safety and Avoidance Guidelines

We urge you to exercise extreme caution. If you spot an animal resembling a puma, you must above all remain calm and not approach it.

Do not attempt to photograph it from close range, feed it, chase it off, or make independent attempts to catch it.

Persons who notice the animal are asked to immediately inform the services and indicate the exact location of its observation. If it is safe, it is worth remembering the direction in which it was moving and its appearance.

Until the situation is clarified, we recommend special caution, especially during walks near forests and wooded areas. Ensure the safety of children and the elderly, do not allow children to move around such places alone, and, where possible, avoid walks in forest areas.

At the same time, remember that the animal may have already left Pułtusk county and moved to another location. The most important thing is safety—do not risk it and do not try to independently check whether the encountered animal is the searched large cat.

KPP in Pułtusk