Indiana sheriff deputies search for lions reported loose

A lion and a cub may be roaming wild in central Indiana, local authorities said Thursday. Around 10 a.m. that morning, a Madison County resident reported seeing a 300-pound lioness wearing a blue harness with a smaller cub, about 150 pounds, beside her, according to the sheriff’s department. Sheriff deputies and state police conducted a four-hour search of the area using ground units and thermal-imaging drone technology. While authorities did not find the large exotic cats, they encouraged residents to remain attentive. The allegedly loose predators would be somewhere in southern Madison County or northern Hancock County.

Earlier, authorities said they had received another report from a drone operator confirming a sighting of the big cats, local news outlet Fox 59, WXIN-TV, reported. As of Thursday evening, no animal sanctuaries had reported any missing lions, Fox 59 said. Additionally, the sheriff’s department said it was unaware of any permits in the county that allowed for lion ownership.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report on the record floods in central Indiana.