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Rabat – On Friday evening, the Director of the Moroccan National Office for Water and Forests definitively settled the ongoing debate about the existence of Atlas lions in Morocco.
This decision follows numerous reports in recent weeks of sporadic sightings of lions in various regions, the latest being that of a truck driver in the Azilal region who reported seeing a lion on Thursday.
The legend began with rumors of a wild animal spotted near the Ait Boukhayou tribe in the commune of Sebt Ait Rahou, province of Khénifra.
Speculation was rife, suggesting the possibility of a return of the elusive Atlas lion.
Despite persistent rumors and claims of Atlas lion encounters, the National Water and Forest Agency deployed advanced techniques, including drone surveillance and on-ground examinations of traces.
The investigation revealed no presence of lions in the regions under scrutiny. Hoomi explained that scientific evidence, supported by drone sweeps, pointed to the absence of lions, instead highlighting the existence of the “striped fox” and small-sized feline species like the “caracal” and “ground-hugger” in the area.
Earlier speculations three weeks ago included reports of a lion attacking a flock of sheep and its shepherd in Moulay Bouazza commune, Khenifra province.
But after a thorough search of the area, the agency rejected the lion attack hypothesis and attributed the footprints found to members of the canid family, most likely a North African golden jackal or wolf.
Autopsies on animals presumed to be lion victims revealed bite marks inconsistent with those of a lion, but rather indicative of a canid. The agency’s drone-assisted sweep of the forests bordering the testimony areas yielded no sightings or signs of lions.
