A black panther which was recaptured from the roofs of a building in northern French town has been stolen from Maubeuge Zoo. The animal ended up in the residential area as it was kept as a pet by a resident in the town of Armentieres, close to the Belgian border. The panther had escaped out of an open window and was seen prowling across the rooftops of houses on Friday. Eventually, the fire bridge had to be called to rescue the panther. It was captured and tranquilised by the fire brigade. The animal had attracted a lot of crowds as it walked on the rooftops. The black panther is a six-month-old female weighing about 20kg. Black Panther Found Roaming On French Rooftops.

The wild animal was then taken to Maubeuge zoo where it had been caged. However, the staff at the zoo were shocked to see the panther's cage open and empty on Tuesday. According to the zoo officials, its pen had been forcibly opened and the animal was stolen. Arnaud Decagny, the town's mayor reportedly said that the intruders had to make considerable efforts to break the cage and get in. Police officials are checking CCTV footage to see how the animal was taken away from the zoo. Following the incident, Maubeuge Zoo took to Facebook detailing the incident.

Maubeuge Zoo's Statement on The Panther's Disappearance:

Panther Caught Prowling on Rooftops in French Town:

Although the animal had been domesticated by the owner and its nails were clipped, zoo officials are worried about its overall health. In the meanwhile, the panther's owner is on the run; he is wanted by authorities for keeping a dangerous animal at home and thus endangering the lives of residents.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 25, 2019 10:09 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).