Black panther captured after walking rooftops in French town

Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Residents of a French town were treated to unusual spectacle Wednesday morning when a loose black panther went for a walk across local rooftops.

Locals in Armentieres, Nord, captured photos and video Wednesday morning when the big cat, native to Asia and Africa, was spotted strolling across the rooftops of local homes.

Police, firefighters, experts from France's national office of hunting and wildlife and veterinarians were summoned to the scene.

The panther eventually entered a building through a window and was cornered inside. Authorities tranquilized the animal safety and it was turned over to an animal welfare group.

The panther's origins, and the details of its apparent escape, were unclear.