'Big Cats' (1 Viewer)

[Colin]

What are peoples opinions of the 'Big Cat' sightings around the UK? Have they seen one? Do they exist? Is it all media hype? What do you think?

(A bit of background for the overseas readers - for many years there have been stories and 'possible' sightings of 'Big Cats in the UK. Many relate to puma type cats but there have been others including Lynx and other smaller ones. One theory is that when the law changed some years ago which made it illegal to keep such animals in captivity without lots of red tape to be gotten through, some people, it is said, chose to release their cats rather than having them put down).



Colin



:cat: <--------this one is REALLY BIG

 

[Colin]

Well, it seems no one has commented so I will add my own sighting and see if there are any comments on that. I am risking by street cred here but this is what I saw.

I was on my way back from doing a Whooper Swan survey on the north coast of Scotland in January 2000. I was driving in the wilds of about 10 miles north east of Ballater. It was pitch black at about 6pm, no habitation nearby and the countryside was a mixture of open mountainous moorland and pockets of forest. I had not seen another vehicle for probably over 15 mins and I had just turned right at a junction and was picking up speed and going through the gears when an animal came out from the right and crossed the road in front of me. It was far enough ahead of me for me not to have to brake but well within the full beam of the headlights. It 'cantered' across the road and onto the moorland. It was about the size and colour of a golden labrador dog but deeper in the body with a very small tail and ear tufts which stood out well. The general impression was of a very 'chunky' animal. I moved to the right of the road and swung the car to the left and stopped with the headlights pointing in the direction that the animal had gone. I stepped out of the car to 'gain height' to try to get another look but the animal had gone. That's the sighting.



Colin


:cat: <-------there it is again!!

 

[reg]

i've never seen any big cats out there myself but i'm sure there must be the odd one or two out there. there is still quite a bit of countryside for them to hide in.
have is a news story from last week

Beware big cats! Police spot two black panthers on prowl around Welsh farm (link)

 

[El Annie]

Big cats

There is supposed to be a Big Cat (like a Puma) in the Scarborough area and I often heard and read stories about sightings over the 25 yrs I lived there. There is also supposed to be a Big Cat living around these parts, maybe that is what I heard screaming the other night.........

El Annie

 

[paj]

I'm in a fishing club with waters on the R. Severn near Welshpool.
This week one of our members reported sighting a big cat drinking from the river on the shingle bank opposite where he was fishing. It was said to be as big as an Alsatian dog.
Now this was interesting as a few years ago a sighting was reported to me of a big cat in the field alongside a wood above the very same shingle bank.
Also I know of one other member who has watched a big cat through binoculars at the same place.

paj

 

[IanF]

Even in the north we have had them. There have been numerous reports over a good few years of sightings of what sound like a pair of panthers on the moors in Teeesdale, between Barnard Castle and Middleton. No photos yet though.

 

[burhinus]

There are even reports of big cats in Norfolk and Suffolk. I am not too sure whether it has something to do with how many pints you have consumed on the night.

There were reports of something slinking around during the night at Highgrove a couple of years ago but that turned out to be Camilla Parker-Bowles!

burhinus