search for the Durham puma (big cats) (1 Viewer)

[CornishExile]

An interesting story, but as far as I am aware there is only one big cat that takes it's prey up a tree, and that is a Leopard. The way these stories keep cropping up, I think it's only a matter of time before someone swears he has seen either a Lion or a Sabre-toothed Cat. lol.

Harry.

To be fair to my friend, he was there at the time, so the story isn't apocryphal; I've known him for over a decade now, and as a birder and a professional countryman he's certainly not prone to exageration or flights of fantasy. More to the point, neither he nor his colleague made a big deal out of what they found, as they didn't much fancy the attention / inevitable ridicule.

I think you're right about Leopards being the only cats that stash prey in trees; but why not? I'm sure I'm right in saying there was a well-documented female Tiger that lived in the wilds of Scotland for a while in the 80's / 90's. And there was a guy who was asked by the Forestry Commission to talk to them about feral big cats who told the tale of walking through a wood during the F&M crisis and hearing the "sawing" call of a Leopard...

I'm sure a fair percentage of the stories are fantasists' creations, but I'm equally prepared to accept there's a kernel of truth behind the principle of big cats living in the wild in the UK.

 

[saluki]

There was an excellent documentary on the National Geographic channel recently called Alien big Cats. They brought a fur trapper over from Alaska to check out the evidence, he wasn't sceptical at the beginning and thought the habitat and amount of deer/game could support them. He then went out with a gamekeeper who had seen the cats many times (but obviously didn't own a camera!) all the pug marks he was shown were from domestic dogs. He was also shown photo's of attacks on people and carcasses of sheep supposedly killed by cats, he was definite that they were all dog related. Rob

TalkSport had a phone in on the subject of big cats this morning and the guy you mentioned was on - apparently he lives in Scotland now. He thought the guy who claims he was 'attacked' by a big cat this morning sounded suspect.

I think I've mentioned this before on BF but some years ago a guy wrote an article for 'Shooting News', as was, about big cats in the UK. He mentioned that they were roaming wild around his home. The guy lived in the next glen to me and I often lamped that particular glen. I also knew a few of the FC rangers in the area, a keeper and several conservationists, who were out at all hours of the day and night - none of them had seen anything they couldn't eventually explain as being something far less exciting than a big cat! Those who want to see big cats, usually do! He mentioned puma's catawauling around the house - I wonder if he knew what a Sika deer whistling sounded like? Or, better still, a Sika x Red! Or a fox screaming? A Roe barking?

Personally, I think some of the sightings of big cats are actually lurchers. They have small heads, long, feline bodies and long tails. They can clear a five foot fence with ease. Many of them stalk quarry in a similar manner to a cat - especially collie-bred lurchers. They are (or were?) the most often stolen dog in the UK, and travellers often simply dump any dog that doesn't come up to scratch. They also have the wherewithall to survive in the wild - they are intelligent and can be extremely wary of humans.

saluki

 

[harry eales]

I think you're right about Leopards being the only cats that stash prey in trees; but why not? I'm sure I'm right in saying there was a well-documented female Tiger that lived in the wilds of Scotland for a while in the 80's / 90's. And there was a guy who was asked by the Forestry Commission to talk to them about feral big cats who told the tale of walking through a wood during the F&M crisis and hearing the "sawing" call of a Leopard...

I'm sure a fair percentage of the stories are fantasists' creations, but I'm equally prepared to accept there's a kernel of truth behind the principle of big cats living in the wild in the UK.

Hello Exile,
I hadn't heard the Tiger Tail (excuse the pun). I do recollect though that during the late 80's or early 90's a tame Grizzly Bear was roaming loose in a very isolated area of the Scottish Isles. It was a well known animal having appeared on TV and in several films. If I remember correctly he went by the name of Hercules. He was recaptured several weeks later, apparently none the worse for his experience.

I think I'll leave believing in big cats roaming loose in the UK alone until someone comes up with positive proof. Though come to think of it I did see six Jaguars today, but they were flying at about 400 knots. lol.

Harry

 

[Nutcracker]

I did see six Jaguars today, but they were flying at about 400 knots.

I hope the police got them for speeding!

 

[CornishExile]

I hope the police got them for speeding!

There was the very wonderful story doing the rounds in the Navy about a phone call received by a Chief Constable from a naval CO - to tell him one of his patrol cars had come within a whisker of receiving an unpleasant (and terminal) reaction from a low-flying Harrier that suddenly found itself radar-locked - the patrol car in question was out trying to catch speeding motorists and very nearly got more than it bargained for.

 

[salty]

i know this may sound a little rough but, big cats will not be taken seriously until someone (not a pet/livestock) gets killed by one of these panthers/puma etc. yes, people are getting scratched and animals are getting eating, but the press and seemingly the police are not 100% interested in these cases.

after a day or two, the trail goes cold until the next incident in another town miles away gets people going again.

 

[davebroadley]

I survived a tiger attack on Dartmoor, it knocked me down and grabbed my leg in it's mouth.( O.K, the Tiger was only 3weeks old and Ifell onthe ground laughing}.
If the man had been attacked by a black panther in Sydenham, South London, a heavily urbanised area ( the largest open space near by is Crystal Palace and that's `not that large to support a large predator ),he was very,very lucky to recieve only a few scratches.

 

[David Nicholson]

An interesting story, but as far as I am aware there is only one big cat that takes it's prey up a tree, and that is a Leopard. The way these stories keep cropping up, I think it's only a matter of time before someone swears he has seen either a Lion or a Sabre-toothed Cat. lol.

Harry.

Of course you must remember a black panther is nothing more than a melanistic leopard

 

[Brian James]

Apart from all the "was it? wasn't it?" reported sightings there have been several incidents of exotic cats being either found dead or captured alive. There was a lynx captured close by a school in London a year or two ago which I think ended up being taken to London Zoo. A puma captured in a trap near Cannich in the Scottish Highlands which again ended up in a zoo or wildlife park somewhere and was christened Felicity I believe. At least one Jungle Cat has turned up dead by the roadside (The name Hayling Island comes to mind wherever that is). The Kellas Cats someone mentioned which I think are black and a bit bigger than your average tabby but not huge have been caught in Scotland and can be seen at the Highland Wildlife Park somewhere not far from Aviemore (Newtonmore?). I expect there may be more less well reported cases and ones I can't remember. At least one ex large cat owner admitted turning cats loose in the Peak District back in the seventies.

 

[salty]

interesting! - they are actually getting captured, yet people still believe they are not there in the first place!

 

[Brian James]

http://www.britishbigcats.org/roadkilletc.htm

(If you can believe everything you find on the internet)

 

[salty]

interesting site, but not up to date. shame there is STILL no quality pics/video footage for us all to see.

 

[scuba0095]

i wonder why the big cat sitings are so common in the uk!! I live in Canada MUCh more unused land and open space and even prey for such a cat to exist! yet never heard of big cats found here (only found in the west of canada)

 

[jurek]

i wonder why the big cat sitings are so common in the uk!!

For the same reason why people in North America see Grey Aliens.

In Poland there are crocodiles escaped from Russian traders.

 

[salty]

did anybody else see todays SUN newspaper?

had an amazing shot of a black panther eating a pidgeon in the welsh countryside. good quality pic too, with colour. the man who took it (2 shots in all) was scared witless, and ran for his life after he took 2 quick pics.

 

[salty]

just been reading a story in a local paper today about a series of lambs/sheep that have been getting mutilated in the durham area. police sgt eddie stone even thinks a possible link to a wolverine! - could be involved. one has been responsible for deaths in wales, and the same evidence is being used to link the durham deaths to a similar beast.

multiple killings, chests cracked open and heads ripped off plus the fact corpses have been left in the open sugest it i not the usual cat kill (tend to kill just one prey then take the whole body with them).

apparently a businessman from wales had a wolverine and released it into the countryside where it still roams free. they are 3-4ft long and 1.5ft tall and extremely visious animals.

i think i would rather have a black panther on the prowl than one of those beasts!!!

 

[Gill Osborne]

Me too Salty!!! :eek!:

You actually beat me to this....I've just read it in the Mail...page 28.

Ok, I don't mind approaching cats of any size but I think I'll just turn around and walk away from a Wolverine LOL *or leg it!!!!*

GILL

 

[Keithec]

(The name Hayling Island comes to mind wherever that is).

Hayling Island and areas around it are well worth a visit. It is just to the east of Portsmouth & the southern end would be good for incoming migrants right now. Lots of mudflats and marshland in the area. As for big cats I have always thought that there are probably some around for the reasons already stated; i.e. they are kept in captivity and there will be some people stupid enough to release them into the wild.

Keith

 

[saluki]

just been reading a story in a local paper today about a series of lambs/sheep that have been getting mutilated in the durham area. police sgt eddie stone even thinks a possible link to a wolverine! - could be involved. one has been responsible for deaths in wales, and the same evidence is being used to link the durham deaths to a similar beast.

multiple killings, chests cracked open and heads ripped off plus the fact corpses have been left in the open sugest it i not the usual cat kill (tend to kill just one prey then take the whole body with them).

apparently a businessman from wales had a wolverine and released it into the countryside where it still roams free. they are 3-4ft long and 1.5ft tall and extremely visious animals.

i think i would rather have a black panther on the prowl than one of those beasts!!!

A large boar badger will make a hell of a mess of a lamb! Badgers have the strongest jaws of any British carnivor.

saluki

 

[salty]

apparently not a fox or badger killed the lambs according to police expert. he did mention a possible huge dog, but unlikey to kill many lambs and leave them lying around.