Authorities in Silistra are convening a crisis task force today at 12:00 following a new report of a black leopard spotted near Tutrakan. The regional governor, Iliyan Velikov, confirmed that a citizen had reported seeing the predator—unusual for the area—on Monday afternoon between the villages of Shumenci and Bogdantsi.
Police presence was noted in the region that same evening, though initial checks found no traces of the animal.
This is the latest in a series of similar alerts across Northern Bulgaria in recent months, including sightings near Shumen Plateau and the village of Mutnitsa. Experts note that the so-called “black panther” is not a separate species but likely a melanistic leopard—an elusive nocturnal predator that favors rocky habitats.