Big Cats

[Rod Paradise]

I'm a sceptic on the big cats - I'd love them to be real and could believe one or 2, but generally I'm sceptical for a couple of reasons:

1 Why are all 'panthers' seen black? Even with a skewed population towards an unnaturally high %age of mellanistic leoplrds, surely there would have been some with spots - making identification a lot easier.
2 Why are they never seen by someone who could clearly identify them? They never seem to be seen by amateur naturalists who could confidently say if it was a puma/leopard/jaguar (which shouldn't be too difficult).

 

[Deaner666]

1 Why are all 'panthers' seen black? Even with a skewed population towards an unnaturally high %age of mellanistic leoplrds, surely there would have been some with spots - making identification a lot easier.
2 Why are they never seen by someone who could clearly identify them? They never seem to be seen by amateur naturalists who could confidently say if it was a puma/leopard/jaguar (which shouldn't be too difficult).

Ray's on record as having seen three (and not black panthers)...

 

[Rod Paradise]

Ray's on record as having seen three (and not black panthers)...

I'd not seen that - & yes I'd trust Ray's identification. I'd be struggling to count a Jungle Cat as a 'big cat' though - and since hybrids are available as pets they're more explainable than Panthers/Cougars.

 

[Welshwizard]

i,ve heard and read of these sightings one report from a friend locally but he,s always been a bit of a billy liar at best of times,if I saw one myself i have always wondered what I would do , would,nt shoot one myself unless life threatened but would,nt like to see them hunted down or someone injured or killed so something of a dilema , i have spoke about it with a few of my outdoor type friends and they have said same all but a few who like to shoot anything that moves .

 

[mrcharly]

When I was a lad the local farmers (this is in western australia) had a problem with something taking lambs and sheep, then a calf. Some people saw an animal, decided it was a big cat, a leopard or somesuch.

So a group got together and decided to hunt it down, using dogs. They did get it, it wasn't huge, weighed in at 60-odd lb. Looked the size of an Alsatian.

The local vet uni and zoo identified it as a domestic moggy breed. Just gone feral. I had a farm tom that weighed over 20lb - and wasn't fat. Given the right environment, they get pretty big.

 

[fredster]

I wonder why in this age of the gadget, with a large proportion of the population carrying a fairly decent stills/video camera in their pocket there doesn't seem to be much video evidence of UK big cats. A photo is good evidence but will be mistrusted by many as its so easy to photoshop a pic to suit one's needs. Video is harder to 'edit' so for me video proof would be more convincing.

 

[Bushwhacker]

I wonder why in this age of the gadget, with a large proportion of the population carrying a fairly decent stills/video camera in their pocket there doesn't seem to be much video evidence of UK big cats. A photo is good evidence but will be mistrusted by many as its so easy to photoshop a pic to suit one's needs. Video is harder to 'edit' so for me video proof would be more convincing.

Try and get a picture of a fox or rabbit on your mobile phone and you'll soon see why.
I have a very good camera phone but distance shots are out of the question.

Here's an example.

2 Partridge

Roe deer

More roe

 

[santaman2000]

I'd not seen that - & yes I'd trust Ray's identification. I'd be struggling to count a Jungle Cat as a 'big cat' though - and since hybrids are available as pets they're more explainable than Panthers/Cougars.

Technically jungle cats (jaquars) are classified as big cats; in fact they are the third largest cat in the world (after lions and tigers) Cougars on the other hand are NOT classified as big cats.

 

[BillyBlade]

I was very sceptical, until a friend of a friend, who is a very trustworthy person (MOD Policeman) shot some footage of one on the railway line near his garden in Helensburgh.

I'm pretty sure they are out there.

 

[Paganwolf]

3 words to sum up.... "No Conclusive evidence" If Ray has seen 3 why hasnt the film crew that constantly follows him about recorded any footage? and fairy's live at the bottom of his garden too

 

[21st century pict]

Sorry but after seeing the image of the kitty next to the railway line I am even less convinced, up here we’ve got the kellas cat, lots of stories lots of rumours but in 1984 one was shot, stuffed and is now on display in the Elgin museum and at 42 inch long hardly a big cat no matter how laughably fierce someone has tried to stuff it.
Until I see some conclusive evidence it’s all just here say, urban myth a bit like crocs or alligators down the sewer.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Ray may have fairies living at the bottom of his garden, but his private life is no buisness of ours

 

[nickliv]

I asked Ray as to his opinions on big cats in the Uk, the last time he was in Aberdeen. He confirmed that he's seen three, and in the previous week he had been presented with a cast of a mountain lion print which was taken up Inverness way. He opined that there was unlikely to be a breeding population, more likely to have been released by unscrupulous individuals. He nearly got as animated as when someone asked him about BG...

 

[lannyman8]

just seen this thread, i have seen a big black cat in Norfolk, i think it was the Thetford area some 12 years ago, you could tell it was not a normal cat as the tale was to long along with the body, the area makes sence though, lots of quiet woodland around and masses of munkjack for it to eat...

 

[BOD]

I'm a sceptic on the big cats - I'd love them to be real and could believe one or 2, but generally I'm sceptical for a couple of reasons:

1 Why are all 'panthers' seen black? Even with a skewed population towards an unnaturally high %age of mellanistic leoplrds, surely there would have been some with spots - making identification a lot easier.
2 Why are they never seen by someone who could clearly identify them? They never seem to be seen by amateur naturalists who could confidently say if it was a puma/leopard/jaguar (which shouldn't be too difficult).

Very good point. The only place where the leopard population is exculsively melanistic is Malaya where the leopard has never shown his spots! For the UK to have a population of black cats is impossible.

Why does evryone call these Bengal/Leopard/lynx/ocelots "big cats"? They are all small cats there are only 5 big cats.

Why is it that there are more big cat sightings in the UK that there are in Malaya where there are tiger, black panther and several species of medium cats?

 

[Mick w.]

If they were released years ago, in isolation, they should have all died out by now. So why are people still seeing them? They must be breeding, which would indicate that there's a good number of them about.
That said, given the shy and solitary nature of most big cats I can't see them being a problem for quite a long time to come.
But then I'm no expert!

 

[zarkwon]

I was up on Dartmoor for a couple of nights two weeks ago and came across this.


The fleece was spread over about 200 yards and the lamb had been dragged that distance along the edge of the stream before being munched upon. Probably a fox but no tracks left. Certainly made the midnight sojourn to the bushes a bit more of a squeaky bottom moment than usual as camp was 300 yards away Got lots more pics.

 

[Ivan...]

Well , i have spent untold time in my life , on the open moor or skirting the borders , and have seen sheep/lamb/pony/calf/cow , carcases by the score from still warm to skeleton, and on one regular walk i passed an adult sheep body about 6 times in a few weeks , about 4 miles from civilisation, the way that body went from recently deceased to skeletal remains was , remarkable ! but i am sure it was all the usual forms of carrion, that had done this.
Yes i am a sceptic, but for 2 main reasons, as a previous poster said no video/photo proof , and the fact i have never even see a domestic cat on the open moor !

Of course i would love to stand corrected, just not in the dead of night on my own thankyou !!!

 

[rik_uk3]

I'd go with either a big feral domestic cat or maybe a big cat released by its (illegal) owner.

 

[santaman2000]

If they were released years ago, in isolation, they should have all died out by now. So why are people still seeing them? They must be breeding, which would indicate that there's a good number of them about...

Cougars live an average of 8-10 years in the wild and as long as 20-30 in captivity.