Two Lions Are on the Loose in Indiana and Authorities Have No Idea Where They Went

Residents in Madison County, Indiana, are on edge tonight.

Indiana authorities have announced that two lions are reportedly on the loose in Madison County.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office was first alerted about the lions on the loose after receiving a call from a man who spotted a female lion and her cub near his home.

A drone operator also called the sheriff’s office and confirmed spotting two exotic cats.

LIONS ON THE LOOSE: Sheriff’s deputies and state police are on the hunt for a lion and a cub in Indiana. https://t.co/M73LKLyzgt pic.twitter.com/VWSM5Xt4d2

— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) August 27, 2026

Per KTLA:

A search is underway in central Indiana for two lions, a mother and cub, believed to be on the loose. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said it received a call around 10 a.m. Thursday from a homeowner who spotted the big cats moving through his property while looking out a back window.

“He got some binoculars, took a closer look and saw the harness on the (mother). And he watched it until it left his property moving southwest,” Sheriff John Beeman told KTLA sister station WXIN-TV. The sheriff’s department said it previously received a report from a drone operator confirming the sighting.

Authorities do not yet know where the lions came from. Beeman said they may have been illegally kept as pets or could have escaped while being transported through Indiana.

“According to the USDA, we have no known approved license holders in the area, but that doesn’t mean anything,” he said.

The lioness reportedly weighed about 300 pounds, while the cub was estimated to weigh roughly 150 pounds.

After a four-hour active search, which included ground units and thermal drones, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department was unable to spot the big cats.

The department has since released the following announcement: “While law enforcement has concluded the active search, residents in the area are encouraged to remain attentive and report any unusual animal sightings to local authorities immediately.”