June 19, 2025, 4:21 am | Read time: 5 minutes
As soon as the Bundesliga enters its summer break, the “summer slump” seizes its opportunity—bringing animal headlines as it does every year. Whether it’s the alleged puma at Geiseltalsee or the fake alligator in Vechta, 2025 proves that summer slump animals are far from extinct. We take a look back at the most curious cases of the past decades.
The term “Sommerloch” originally comes from print journalism and describes the news-scarce period in the summer months when editorial teams traditionally look for curious, quirky, or simply entertaining topics to fill the gap in the news cycle. There’s hardly any sports, and politics is heading into the summer break. This has been changing for years, but the fictional Sommerloch animals seem to be indestructible.
2025 Seems to Be a Good Year for Sommerloch Animals
Even in 2025, with an escalating crisis in the Middle East, seemingly daily changes in U.S. tariff policy, and drought records, alleged animal sightings are making headlines amid serious topics. Two of them dominated the headlines within a few days: In Braunsbedra (Saxony-Anhalt), a supposed big cat—possibly a puma—was sighted in early June. This was followed by helicopter operations, drone flights, search boats on the Geiseltalsee, and a warning via emergency app. Even the Halle Zoo provided animal capture boxes. Later, a preliminary all-clear: The mysterious animal was probably just a kitten. 1
Hardly had the excitement subsided when Vechta (Lower Saxony) came into play. A video allegedly showing an alligator in a stormwater retention basin went viral. Search measures were also initiated here, the area was cordoned off, and traps were set—until it turned out: The video was not real. IT experts from the city uncovered the deception, and the “witness” had to admit that he had not recorded the material himself. 2
What once caused a chuckle in the Sommerloch with curious animal stories seems to have developed its own dynamic today between social media hype, real-time reporting, and police operations. But the basic principle remains the same: Animals that seemingly appear out of nowhere—or are simply misjudged—are and remain a summer media phenomenon. PETBOOK looks back at the craziest Sommerloch animals of recent years.
Overview
These Were the Most Prominent Sommerloch Animals
The Sommerloch animal of the year 2023 was undoubtedly the roaming “lioness” that supposedly caused a stir on the outskirts of Berlin at the end of July. For days, blurry photos and videos of the allegedly dangerous animal from Kleinmachnow were circulated. However, a lab analysis of hair and fecal samples at the sighting location revealed that it was likely a wild boar.
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Caiman Sammy
He is something like the forefather of Sommerloch animals. Spectacled caiman Sammy escaped from his owner in July 1994, who was walking the (according to his own statements, tame) crocodile on a dog leash at the Nievenheimer See in Dormagen. The swimming lake was closed, and reptile experts searched for Sammy for days. They even discussed shooting him.
After five days, a sports diver finally managed to capture the exhausted caiman. Sammy was not allowed to return to his owner, who had to cover the costs of the operation. The Sommerloch animal was taken to the Falkenstein Zoo in Vogtland, where it died in 2013 at the age of 24. 3
Problem Bear Bruno
Not only Bavaria but all of Germany was in a frenzy when a brown bear was sighted in the Free State in May 2006—for the first time in over 170 years. Although the animal officially bore the name JJ1, it quickly became known in the media as “Problem Bear Bruno.” Reports that Bruno was attacking sheep and coming dangerously close to settlements increased.
Since the Bavarian state government classified the animal as a threat to the population, it was cleared for shooting. Protests from animal rights activists were to no avail: On June 26, 2006, the problem bear was shot. Its preserved body can be seen at the “Museum Mensch und Natur” in Munich.
Swan Petra
This love story lasted even beyond the summer. From 2006 to 2008, black swan Petra made headlines as she paddled after a swan-shaped pedal boat on the Aasee in Münster. Attempts to separate her from her beloved “partner” were met with threatening gestures from the black swan lady.
After the pedal boat was lifted out of the water for the winter to protect it from frost damage, the unusual pair was taken to the Allwetterzoo Münster. In the spring of 2007, they returned to the Aasee, where they continued their liaison. 4
Cow Yvonne
Her spectacular escape earned the brown-and-white spotted dairy cow Yvonne the title “Sommerloch Animal of the Year 2011.” The rebellious farm animal disappeared from her owner’s pasture in May and was untraceable for weeks.
In early September, Yvonne was finally discovered. Employees of an animal sanctuary and the former director of the Munich Zoo captured the cow. Until 2019, she lived in an animal protection facility in Deggendorf, where she had to be euthanized in 2019 due to a severe pelvic injury at the age of 14. 5
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Snapping Turtle Lotti
Many years ago, a “monster turtle” was sought in the Allgäu. In the summer of 2013, a boy suffered an injury while swimming in the Oggenrieder Weiher, which was classified as a turtle bite. As a result, the water was drained, the shore fenced off, and even a bounty was placed on the biting phantom.
The snapping turtle, named Lotti, was never found. Some Sommerloch animals remain a myth. Today, a statue commemorates Lotti, who may never have existed. 6