MILWAUKEE — A report of a lion roaming a Milwaukee neighborhood has police and others on the lookout.
Milwaukee police say a woman reported seeing a lion Monday afternoon in her north side neighborhood. Police Chief Edward Flynn says his officers were given cellphone video of an animal that appeared to be a "lion-ish creature."
Officers checked the neighborhood, but didn't find anything. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources was notified and dispatched an employee to check it out. Flynn says it was "theoretically possible" a wild cat had made its way south from northern Wisconsin.
The DNR says a mountain lion, or panther, is one of three wild cats native to the state.
Meanwhile, the sighting has lit up social media with its own hashtag: #mkelion.
@realmilwaukee Stay away from the art museum! #MKELion @WakeupKoglin @Rob_Haswell pic.twitter.com/nl7u9kL5Tz
— JB (@JBtheExplorer) July 22, 2015
We think we may have seen the #MkeLion on one of our routes today. pic.twitter.com/1XZYLKkJbK
— RideMCTS (@RideMCTS) July 21, 2015
The Today Show posted a link to the video a resident shot on her phone:
Is there a lion on the loose in Milwaukee? http://t.co/hu7sy0SWA3 #mkelion pic.twitter.com/79yb92XGKI
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 22, 2015
On Wednesdays, Milwaukee County residents receive reduced admission. But remember, that's humans only. #mkelion pic.twitter.com/5OVWk5CzbU
— Milwaukee County Zoo (@MilwaukeeCoZoo) July 22, 2015
Don't worry Milwaukee!! We're are dispatching our best guy to investigate the #MKELion... pic.twitter.com/Z0bBsXvNmf
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) July 21, 2015
We're not sure what's running around the city, but all of our lions are safe and sound! #mkelion pic.twitter.com/zbyoD0QsBI
— Milwaukee County Zoo (@MilwaukeeCoZoo) July 21, 2015
Suspected mountain lion foot print. @WDNR here twice to inspect near Hubbard and garfield. #mkelion pic.twitter.com/xMj1iYMN76
— Ben Handelman (@BenHandelman) July 21, 2015
See local TV news coverage from the area of the sighting:

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