Crews called off the search for an African lion in a rural part of El Paso County, Colorado, late Monday afternoon (July 14, 2008), believing that the animal in question may just have been a big dog.

But they don’t know.

Three individuals reported an African lion, complete with mane and brush on the long tail.

One official was quoted as saying the tracks were not cougar, not dog, but large felid tracks.

A red mane was seen.

And then there is the cellphone image capture.

Here are various renderings of the photograph of the Mystery Animal:

Will this be another “maned phantom feline” story that disappears into cryptid history?