Police are searching for a wild animal in the south-western outskirts of Berlin after a big cat, believed to be a lioness, was spotted in the area.

A video posted on Twitter on Wednesday morning appears to show a lioness in a forest in the Kleinmachnow area.

Residents are being told to stay indoors as police search for the wild animal.

Local zoos, animal sanctuaries and circuses have said no lions have escaped from their facilities.

“We don’t know where it came from,” a police spokesperson told local media.

One witness told police they had watched the lion chasing a boar, local media reported.

Brandenburg residents have been alerted by police to the threat of the animal and have been told to stay inside until further notice.

Residents have also been advised to keep their pets indoors.

Helicopters have been deployed to try and find the elusive animal, authorities said.

Veterinarians and hunters with tranquiliser guns are also involved in the search for the animal. German tabloid newspaper Bild said authorities are hoping to capture it in a humane way.