The operation to capture the puma in the Shumen Plateau has entered a crucial phase. The authorities set 15 traps with snares and one type of "cage" in the area of the rocky ridge above the "Divdyadovo" neighborhood, announced at a briefing the deputy regional governor Diyan Dimitrov, the director of the Regional Forestry Directorate Emil Gelov and the director of the "Central Balkan" National Park Georgi Krastev.
The search services found remains of killed animals in the area, which confirms that the dangerous predator had been on the plateau for several days. "The Ministry of Interior's Regional Office has informed the District Prosecutor's Office about the case", said Diyan Dimitrov.
"A large part of the traps have already been set and all of them will be set within an hour", explained Georgi Krastev. The specialists are setting 15 ground traps with snares and one of the "cage" type, also relying on camera traps for surveillance.
"I hope that tonight and tomorrow at the latest there will be a result, at least to establish whether the predator is still at the localized location", added the director of the National Park. He specified that the traps have so far been used successfully for bears, but not for this type of animal.
Krastev urged people, if they notice the animal, to immediately move away and report it to 112, without making noise or trying to photograph it. It is especially important for citizens not to launch drones in the localized area around the Divdyadovskite rocks.
"No one knows to what extent this animal is domesticated and what its reactions will be", the expert warned.
The Director of the Regional Forestry Directorate Emil Gelov informed that the actions are being coordinated with the State Hunting Estates. Their teams are planned to join in securing the perimeter from the side towards the "Divdyadovo" neighborhood in the afternoon.
Gelov called on citizens to cancel all trips to the "Shumen Plateau" Nature Park and not to use forest paths leading to the plateau.
According to experts, the puma is not typical of Bulgarian nature and was probably illegally bred at home before it escaped.