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A lion may be on the loose in Essex, England, if you believe several reports from citizens who claim they've spotted the big cat strolling around the city.
The police took the reports seriously, and were looking for the lion using heat-seeking equipment and helicopters, but they haven't been able to find it yet. They have since called off the search.
The story took on a new dimension in the realm of social media. Someone opened a Twitter account for the lion at @EssexLion, amassing tens of thousands of followers within hours, before the account was suspended.
"SITTING ON TOP OF A MARK 2 FORD ESCORT. NICE & COMFY. DRIVER CRYING. I CAN WAIT," said one tweet from the account.
ME, A LIONESS? YOU JOKING ME? JUST CAUSE I EXFOLIATE & GOT ME EYEBROWS DONE DON'T MAKE ME NO BIRD— Essex Lion (@EssexLion) August 27, 2012
This image is also making the rounds on the internet, but the Colchester Zoo experts said it's not possible to identify the animal due to the photo's poor quality.