A hunt has been launched after police received reports of a lion being spotted in a local park.
The animal was said to have been seen in Cavehill Park - only a short distance from Belfast Zoo.
Urgent checks were being made at the zoo to see if any of their big cats had gone missing, said a police spokesman.
The PSNI helicopter was scouring the area from the air and officers were deployed on the ground.
A PSNI spokesman said: "We are taking this seriously, there have been a string of calls about sightings."
A statement from police headquarters said: "Police in North Belfast are warning the public to be aware of sightings of what appears to be a lion in the Upper Hightown end of Cavehill Park.
"Police are currently responding to the incident and would urge the public to avoid the area.
"Anyone who thinks they may have seen the animal should not attempt to approach it."
