The news sparked widespread interest in Algeria after the lifeless body of a lioness was discovered in a ravine near the town of Bordj Bou Arreridj, 200 km southeast of Algiers.
In a video that has gone viral on social networks, we see a man near the body of the animal in a ravine in a village in the municipality of El Yachir.
The presence of this mammal is fascinating since the Atlas lion has been extinct in North Africa for more than a century, with the exception of a few specimens found in zoos in Morocco.
Did the cat escape from a zoo without surviving in the wild, or did a zoo dispose of the lioness' carcass without authorities' knowledge? Internet users ask.
Speculation abounds, adding to the mystery as authorities have launched an investigation to try to understand the incident.
According to TSA Algeria, a veterinarian accompanied by the local hygiene manager and a team from the gendarmerie were on site to carry out the observation on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the municipality of El Yachir stated on its Facebook page that the animal's remains were buried on site, but the origin of the animal's death remains “unknown.”