2015/01/do-mysterious-big-cats-prowl-the-british-countryside/
The hunt for British Big Cats attracts far more newspaper column-inches than any other cryptozoological subject. There are so many of them now that we feel that they should be archived by us in some way, so we should have a go at publishing a regular round-up of the stories as they come in. Curated by Carl Marshall and Olivia McCarthy
Saturday, 31 January 2015
Do Mysterious Big Cats Prowl the British Countryside?
Our country's version of Big Foot or just the logical result of new laws that forced exotic pet owners to free their animals in the 1970s? One thing's for sure: reported sightings of big cats are on the rise in the UK, while new studies seek to prove their existence.
According to the BBC, there were over 1,000 reported sightings of large cats in the UK during one twelve-month period in 2004 and 2005.
But, while authorities appear to take these reports seriously, there's also been several high-profile cases of mistaken identity. Most famous, perhaps, is the case of the "Essex Lion". Residents of a caravan park in the county reported seeing a "very large animal," creeping through the nearby woods in 2012, prompting police to launch a wide hunt for the creature. The police were armed, two helicopters equipped with infrared sensors were put in the air and handlers from a local zoo were called in with tranquiliser guns. Then, a local woman came forward, stating that the "lion" was, in fact, her pet cat "Teddy Bear". Hey, Teddy's a Maine Coon, they're pretty big.-READ MORE LINK-http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2015/01/do-mysterious-big-cats-prowl-the-british-countryside/
2015/01/do-mysterious-big-cats-prowl-the-british-countryside/
-NEWSLINK -U.S.A-Big cat, big fright: Cougar caught behind SE Bend home ODFW: 120-lb. male to be euthanized; relocations raise issues
BEND, Ore. -
A cougar lounging in a tree high above a southeast Bend home was tranquilized and captured by wildlife officials and law enforcement Friday afternoon as shocked neighbors watched and snapped photos.
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Man found fatally shot in Tigard home
"I just saw all the officers and I thought, what is going down?" said one woman who lives on the block. "I would have never thought it would be a cougar."
Several agencies responded to the call from a resident off Polaris Court who said the cat was lying in a tree right off his back porch.
"A lot of times we get calls about cougars, and they're not -- it's just a really large cat," said Bend police Cpl. Rob Emerson. "It was in fact a cougar, so it was kind of exciting."
Officers pointed guns at the cougar and made a plan -- finally taking a ladder, climbing onto the roof and shooting it with a tranquilizer gun. Once it feel asleep in the tree, the mission become trickier: getting the 120-pound cat out of there.
"We climbed the tree, hooked a rope over it and lowered him down," said Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist Corey Heath. A team then lifted the cougar into a box to be taken to ODFW -READ MORE AND SEE VIDEO LINK-http://www.ktvz.com/news/big-cat-big-fright-cougar-caught-behind-se-bend-home/31020166
-NEWSLINK- NORTH WALES-Call to find out the truth about the ‘big cats’ in North Wales
From St Asaph to Bala there have been sightings of what appear to be large cats.
Over the years, it has been speculated that these animals belong more to the savannah then the hills of North Wales.
But many believe these beasts are real and could cause a real problem for farmers up and down Wales.
This has led to questions about what the government is doing to track these animals.
Clwyd West Assembly Member Darren Millar has asked the Welsh Government what research it is undertaking into big cats in Wales following a number of sightings in recent years in Denbighshire and Conwy.
He raised the matter with the natural resources minister Carl Sargeant AM in the Senedd after being alerted to sightings of the wild animals in his constituency.
He said: “There have been a number of sightings over the years of big cats in the Welsh countryside, including in Conwy and Denbighshire, with tracks having been found in the snow a few years back in the Clocaenog Forest and a number of farmers having lost livestock mysteriously which show signs of big cat type attacks.
“I wonder what research the Welsh Government may have commissioned on the subject of big cats, and the threat that they might pose to native wildlife species.”
The Minister said the Welsh Government has not commissioned any work on big cats-READ MORE LINK-http://www.newsnorthwales.co.uk/news/143574/call-to-find-out-the-truth-about-the-big-cats-in-north-wales.aspx
-NEWSLINK-Circus Tigers
Circus Tigers
You may think that when you see our former circus tigers lounging peacefully at Big Cat Rescue, hat we just had the connections or luck to be chosen as the retirement home for them. Maybe you have not even stopped to think on it. That’s ok. I’m Christy and I’ve been a volunteer for 3 ½ years and I’d like to tell you that it was neither luck, nor connections. It was much more. Let me share their story, which is also my story, and both have become a part of our collective history.
As a cat-lover, I came on my birthday 4 years ago for a much-anticipated tour. I had no idea how much it would get under my skin, and what my contribution to the sanctuary would be. Who would think I could make a difference? The day I went on the tour, was a pretty day in May and the founder happened to lead the tour. She mentioned that there are 300 big cats, many of which are hurting and exploited due to people being able to own them, that they are forced to turn away each year due to there not being enough room and funds. She -READ MORE LINK-http://bigcatrescue.org/circus-tigers-2/Namibias wild cats live on
Dark, heavy clouds gather ominously in the east. Surrounding hilltops disappear. The deluge begins. In a few hours the ephemeral rivers will start to run, the roads will become impassable and the African bush will smile once again. It is the rainy season, the middle of summer; we are in the heart of Namibia on the guest farm Okonjima, the home of the Africat FoundationOkonjima, the Herero for “place of the baboon”, is an extensive tract of land nestling amongst the Omboroko mountains some seventy kilometres south of the small town of Otjiwarongo. Historically the surrounding land would have been home to some of Africa’s finest wildlife, today it is farmland. Cattle farmland to be precise, part of Namibia’s agriculture industry, providing work and a livelihood for many of the country’s local inhabitants.
For the last 35 years Okonjima has been in the hands of the Hanssen family. Danish and British by extraction, the family today is one of only a handful of first language English-speaking Namibians. Wayne Hanssen taking over the reins of the homestead from his father in 1991 had a dream to turn the land back to its former splendour. Today, 15 years later, the achievements of the Hanssen family together with staff, friends and investors, are significant. The original farm has grown in size to 56 000 acres, the cattle have disappeared, grasslands are returning. Best of all, wherever you roam on the land one will, with a little patience, be rewarded with sightings of Africa’s glorious fauna and flora all returning to this Garden of Eden.
To make this happen the Hanssens have created an impressive tourist operation. Offering accommodation styles which vary from camping, through simple luxury to sumptuous extravagance, Okonjima is not so much a holiday as an experience. The key to the experience is the Africat Foundation, a non-profit organisation primarily dedicated to the conservation of Namibia’s large carnivores. The cheetah as the flagship species is closely followed by the leopard, lion, wild dog and brown and spotted hyaenas.READ MORE LINK-http://www.okonjima.com/content/Namibias_wild_cats_live_on
Thursday, 29 January 2015
UK SIGHTINGS: Scottish Alien Big Cat Being Called the Beast of Ormiston
Scottish
Alien Big Cat Being Called the Beast of Ormiston
One
of the many things Edinburgh, Scotland, is famous for is the Festival Fringe,
but it's no festival for dog walkers on the fringe of the city limits
UK SIGHTINGS: Could this prove Big Cat living in the UK.
Could
this prove Big Cat living in the UK.
There
have been many sighting of Big Cat across the countryside since,the late
70's. But new footage form Ormiston from local man catches
NEWSLINK: Golden Oaks Village News
Golden
Oaks Village News
Beulah
said that big cat was on her car one morning. There were also two big
dogs here on Wednesday. Those moles are back. I still say it's always
NEWSLINK: Lion Man's New Park In South Africa Causes Controversy [Video]
|
The
Inquisitr
|
Lion
Man's New Park In South Africa Causes Controversy [Video]
Dubbed
the Jabula Big Cat Sanctuary, it has been Busch's dream to do this since
his film, Lion Man: One World, was filmed in the country.
NEWSLINK: Zombie Cat: Kitty Needs Week to Recover After Returning From the Dead
|
ABC
News
|
Zombie
Cat: Kitty Needs Week to Recover After Returning From the Dead
A
buried cat that was believed to be dead but later showed up alive had a
smooth ... “That's what I would like to do, but those are big dreams,” he
said.
NEWSLINK: Leopard spotted with three cubs in Kumbalgodu
|
I
am in dna of India
|
Leopard
spotted with three cubs in Kumbalgodu
The
big cat was sighted on the compund wall of BGS International Residential
School, on the night of January 2. The big cat was sighted on the
NEWSLINK: Oregon Lion Encounter Opens for Season
|
KATU
|
Oregon
Lion Encounter Opens for Season
Big
cat lovers across the United States now have a rare opportunity to take a
behind-the-scenes look at an African Lion pride at Southern Oregon's
NEWSLINK: Letters: White tigers born of bad practices
Letters:
White tigers born of bad practices
What
happens to these cats when they are no longer able to perform? If you plan on
attending a show that includes large cats of any sort, be informed
NEWSLINK: Are big cat claims exaggerated?
Are
big cat claims exaggerated?
New
tiger statistics. In 2006, the number of tigers in India was estimated to be
1,411, which increased to 1,706 in 2010. According to 2011 census,
UK SIGHTINGS: Shropshire man says he has seen big cats
|
shropshirestar.com
|
Shropshire
man says he has seen big cats
Now
retired, the 75-year-old has returned to the road near Oswestry where he says a
big cat loped across in front of his car. The area is close to where
Monday, 26 January 2015
NEWSLINK: Cougar population booming
Klamath County sees its fair share
Wildlife officials have noted a boom in the Oregon cougar population. Officials estimate there are around 6,000 cougars currently roaming the state.
Posted: Sunday, January 11, 2015 12:00 am
By LACEY JARRELL H&N Staff Reporter
Local wildlife managers aren’t confident a statewide increase in cougar tags will do much to slow cat populations in Klamath County.
John Muir, an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) assistant district wildlife biologist in Klamath County, said cougar populations have increased in recent years because wildlife managers have no effective means of managing the big cats, also called mountain lions.
He said cougar populations have yet to hit the maximum number the landscape can support.
US SIGHTINGS: It's been a big week for bobcats in Fremont
POSTED: 01/09/2015 03:18:58 PM PST0 COMMENTS| UPDATED: 11 DAYS AGO
FREMONT -- With Mission Peak Regional Preserve not far from the cozy cul-de-sac where Ravi Masand and his family live, he has seen enough bobcats on the hiking trails to know it when he sees one. Or two. This week, Masand looked out the back window of his home and saw a bobcat -- or two -- looking back at him. During three separate encounters, he spotted one bold bobcat that appeared to be a mere kitten within 20 feet of his back door and another that appeared verygrown-up.
It's possible that the bobcats of Alameda County have started reading street signs and are seeking million-dollar habitats with plenty of prey. Masand lives on Whitetail Court, named after a species of deer, not far from Rabbit and Doe Courts. The bobcat -- or bobcats -- that seem to have taken up residence near his back lawn roam between one housing development's Cougar Circle, and Lynx Drive just down the hill in another development. Bobcats are of the lynx genus, leading to speculation that the Fremont felines may be checking their Zillow app.
CANADIAN SIGHTINGS: Canadian Man Scares Off Cougar by Pretending to Be Bear
BY:
Daniel Xu
POSTED: 1/13/15
Ucluelet resident Ted Benson found himself acting like a bear to protect his cat from becoming cougar food.
Vancouver Island in British Columbia has a reputation for being a haven for big cats, such as the mountain lion. The island is also notorious for attacks on humans by said cats, and roughly two-thirds of all fatal mountain lion encounters in Canada occur on Vancouver Island. However, Ucluelet resident Ted Benson had never seen a cougar until last week, when one slipped through an open door at night and tried to eat his cat.
“It was weird, there was no sound, no nothing, it was eerily quiet and just all of a sudden I see my cat squirt in and, next thing you know, all I hear is claws trotting across concrete,” Benson told WesterlyNews.ca.
NEWSLINK: Big Cat Caught After 6-hour Chase in Tumakuru District
By Devaraj B Hirehalli
Published: 06th January 2015 05:59 AM
TUMAKURU: After two weeks of living in fear, the people of Manganahalli, Huildore and other villages took it upon themselves to catch a leopard that had killed their cattle.
Forest officials said a one-and-a-half-year-old male leopard was spotted in Huildore and surrounding villages. It triggered panic in Huildore two weeks ago when it killed two sheep belonging to farmer Ranganna.
The villagers informed the Bukkapatna range forest officers, who placed a cage in Huildore. However, the leopard gave the cage a slip and started moving from one village to another. A few days ago it was spotted at Manganahalli in Sira taluk.
Sunday, 25 January 2015
NEWSLINK-UNITED KINGDOM-MILTON KEYNES-BIG CAT SPOTTED: Open University Chemist posts picture of mysterious black feline in Milton Keynes
If legend (and local newspapers) has it, big cats have been wandering the wilds of Britain for centuries.
Could there be a giant predatory feline hiding in bushes in Milton Keynes, eyes glinting and teeth showing, ready to pounce?
A photograph of a big cat sighting appeared on the social networking site Twitter today, from Open University Chemist Dr James Bruce.
But it was a follow-up tweet from fellow OU academic Simon Kelly that alerted MKWeb to the danger, raising our threat level from purrrr to roar!
Read more-http://www.mkweb.co.uk/BIG-CAT-SPOTTED-Open-University-Chemist-posts/story-25920253-de
tail/story.html
tail/story.html
Saturday, 24 January 2015
NEWSLINK-Family in quest to capture Wells big cat on camera
IS a big cat prowling the outskirts of Wells?
After spotting what looked like “an extremely large” black cat walking along the hedgerow on the far side of the field behind Wheeler Grove, the Thelwall family are on a mission to photograph the animal.
“Our home overlooks the fields, and it’s not unusual for us to see deer there,” said Sarah Thelwall.
“But on January 10, my son, my husband and I all saw a cat that was about as long as a deer in the fields.
“We watched it for some time, and my son went to get a camera, but the only one we had was an old-fashioned SLR type, and by the time we had it all set up, the cat had moved on.”
Sarah said the family had bought a digital camera and are hoping to snap a photograph of the animal if they see it again.
“It was definitely a cat,” she said.
“When I posted about it on Facebook, I had a friend say he’d heard people talking about there being sightings of a big cat in the area.
“I’d love to hear from anyone else who might have seen it, or heard anything about it.
“To be honest, if it hadn’t been the three of us there, if it had just been one of us who had seen it, we’d have doubted what we saw.”
The sighting is thought to be the first reported in Wells for many years.
But the mid-Somerset area has proven to be something of a hot spot for big cat sightings, with large cat-type animals reported in August 2001 in Butleigh, in Meare in 2002, in Banwell, Winscombe and Wedmore in 2007, Draycott in 2008 and Somerton in 2010.
Police said they had not had any sightings of large cats reported to them.
They are, however, urging people to report any sightings of the animal if they believe it could be a risk.
Many big cat sightings are believed to be have been of Maine coon or Savannah cats, both particularly large breeds of domestic feline.
Male Maine coons can weigh up to 11kg, and measure up to 41cm high and 36cm long, with a long, thick tail.
Have you seen the cat? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Contact the Wells Journal on 01749 832335 or email wells@midsomnews.co.uk.
Any photographs of the animal would be especially welcome.
Read more: http://www.wellsjournal.co.uk/Family-quest-capture-Wells-big-cat-camera/story-25913499-detail/story.html#ixzz3PkY8RiFp
Follow us: @wellsjournal on Twitter | wellsjournal on Facebook
Thursday, 22 January 2015
NEWSLINK: Leopards fast losing battle of survival in Madhya Pradesh
Updated: Jan 13, 2015 04:12 IST
Leopards are fast losing the battle of survival in Madhya Pradesh. More than 140 leopards died in the period between 2008 and 2013, as per information accessed under the Right to Information Act.
Wildlife experts feel that given the increasing instances of man-animal conflict, these spotted cats will soon vanish from the forests in the state. Unlike the attention for tiger conservation, leopards do not enjoy the same status from various stakeholders.
Thirty-one leopards died in the last one year alone, the experts said, adding that the maximum deaths (43) were reported in 2011. "No official countrywide population estimate is available. However, within the 17 tiger bearing states of India, the leopard occupies an area of around 1,74,066 km2, nearly double the area occupied by the tiger," the WWF-India says on its website.
It is not just villages where these predators are straying into. There have been rise in sighting of leopard in urban spaces like Indore, Jabalpur and outskirts of Bhopal.
Last Wednesday, a CCTV captured the footage of a stray leopard in Narsinghpur district. Last month, residents of Indore spend sleepless nights after a spotted cat was said to have strayed into a residential area. Leopard sightings are also being reported in Jabalpur from last few days.
US SUIGHTING: Eagle Mountain residents report large cat, evidence inconclusive
January 07, 2015 5:00 pm • Cathy Allred Daily Herald
SALT LAKE CITY — A young mountain lion was let go back into the wild Monday a day after roaming into a Salt Lake City neighborhood and forcing… Read more
OREM -- A cougar wandering through Orem neighborhoods Monday was chased from a home by a family dog before being captured. Read more
EAGLE MOUNTAIN -- City staff alerted nearby schools of a possible dangerous cat in the City Center area Wednesday morning, although Utah Division of Wildlife Resources findings later in the afternoon were inconclusive.
Residents reported seeing the large cat, possibly a bobcat or cougar, south of City Center at least 100 yards from the nearest home south of Canary Way in the Sweetwater subdivision.
“I can’t even confirm that it’s a bobcat or a cougar right now,” said DWR’s Steve Gray, who after inspecting and tagging a mule deer at Camp Williams, checked for evidence at the reported site to determine the species of animal.
Gray said it wouldn’t surprise him if it was a big cat, although from the photo taken by a resident, the angle and resolution made ascertaining the breed a challenge.
Wednesday, 21 January 2015
NEWSLINK: Big cat rescued from ex-professor’s bedroom
SUSHANTA TALUKDAR
A fully grown male leopard that sneaked into the bedroom of a retired professor at Santipur here was rescued by Assam State Zoo officials on Wednesday. The animal was tranquilised and was taken to the zoo.
Anxious crowd thronged the house with some taking pictures through smart phones.
Divisional Forest Officer, Assam State Zoo, Chandan Bora told The Hindu that zoo doctor Panchami Sarma performed a three-hour surgery on the leopard to remove a cable that caused serious injury in its lumber region.
NEWSLINK: What would it take for a catamount comeback?
Posted: Jan 05, 2015 7:38 PM GST
Updated: Jan 08, 2015 2:45 PM GST
By Judy Simpson
JERICHO, Vt. -In the sports world Vermont is known as Catamount Country. But the reality is catamounts, or cougars, have not lived in Vermont since the 1880's. The last catamount was taken in 1881 and it is on display at the Vermont Historical Society. However, some wildlife experts think the cat could make a comeback.
This is footage of a cougar in the western United States -- a somewhat common sight. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department gets up to 100 cougar sightings reported around the state each year. So far none have been conclusively confirmed, but some wildlife experts believe it is only a matter of time before the catamount comes back to Vermont.
"In my capacity I am convinced that they are coming and that they will come here in time, it will take some time however," said Susan Morse, the Founder and Science Director of Keeping Track, an organization that has been working for the past 20 years to help people discover, document and conserve key wildlife habitats across North America. She says Vermont's abundant forest cover and large number of prey species, including deer, are perfect cougar habitat. "Porcupines, moose calves, occasional snow shoe hares -- we have it here and there is nothing to stop cougars from re-colonizing the Northeast, except for the fact they have got to get here from source populations in the west and that appears to be the sticking point," Morse said.
India's tiger population sees 30% increase
20 January 2015 Last updated at 11:16
India said it was willing to donate tiger cubs to the international community to help conservation efforts
India says it now has almost a third more tigers than it did four years ago.
Presenting the findings of the latest tiger census, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said the tiger population had risen from 1,706 in 2011 to 2,226 in 2014.
He said a number of government initiatives to streamline tiger conservation were behind the increase.
India is estimated to be home to around 70% of the world's tigers.
Mr Javadekar described the results of the census as a "huge success story".
'Great news'
"Never before has such an exercise been taken on such a massive scale where we have unique photographs of 80% of India's tigers," he told journalists in New Delhi.
"While the tiger population is falling in the world, it is rising in India. This is great news," he added.
Tuesday, 20 January 2015
NEWSLINK: Officials hunt and shoot dead a leopard that escaped from a compound, after locals joined the search armed with wood and knives
Leopard shelters in house after escaping from a compound in Assam
Forest officals and police hunted the big cat with rifles
The leopard was later displayed for photographs
By STEVE HOPKINS FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 13:56, 12 January 2015 | UPDATED: 18:39, 12 January 2015
Leopards are normally photographed and admired across the world, but in India one was shot dead after it took shelter in a house.
Locals were enraged after the big cat escaped from a compound in Assam yesterday before being located at a house in Jakhlabandha, in the Nagaon District.
Read more:
Locals were enraged after the big cat escaped from a compound in Assam yesterday before being located at a house in Jakhlabandha, in the Nagaon District.
Read more:
NEWSLINK: We mustn’t give up on protecting the Florida panther
BY JACLYN LOPEZ
01/08/2015 6:32 PM
ENDANGERED: A male Florida panther in the wild. HANDOUT FWC PHOTO
In the days since the news broke that a record 30 Florida panthers were killed in 2014, much of the response has centered around the idea that in a state now home to nearly 20 million humans, maintaining a panther population of only 100 to 180 might be the best we can do.
And that’s simply not true.
It’s true more people are moving to Florida — about 800 every day, by latest census estimates — giving us the dubious distinction of displacing New York as the nation’s third most-populated state.
And it’s true unchecked sprawl has already destroyed 95 percent of the Florida panther’s original habitat — that’s critical to preserving our diverse collection of wildlife.
NEWSLINK: What is the price of a tiger’s life?
By Graham Land Jan 07, 2015 4:00PM UTC
The largest of the big cats, the tiger is a critically endangered species — its numbers having dropped from circa 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century to less than 4,000 wild individuals today. Tigers once lived across Asia, but have been wiped out from nearly all of their original habitats, remaining only in small pockets of South and Southeast Asia, Siberia and China. Their range spans 13 countries in total. Habitat destruction, competition with humans, trophy hunting and traditional medicine have all contributed to the tiger’s steep decline.
In India, where at least half of the world’s wild tigers live and enjoy greater protection than anywhere else, economic development an ever-growing human population is still a large threat to the big cat’s survival. A tiger was recently killed in a wildlife sanctuary in Karnataka after it killed two women. The tiger killed the first woman in a village 300km from the sanctuary, after which authorities captured and relocated it. Yet nervous locals spotted the tiger several times and one biologist expressed concern that it had lost its fear of humans. On December 24 the tiger killed again, this time a pregnant woman who was gathering water from a stream. After a massive four-day hunt involving hundreds of officials and tribal trackers, the tiger was shot dead.
Monday, 19 January 2015
NEWSLINK: Consett 'cat dowser' claims his supernatural skills can track down lost moggies
ChronicleLive
|
Consett
'cat dowser' claims his supernatural skills can track down lost
moggies
Many
would be sceptical of a pendulum's power to spot a lost cat. ... She
said: “I'm not a big believer in stuff like dowsing, but now I am because
I found ...
NEWSLINK: Panic after 'leopard spotted' in Mulund hospital staff quarters
Panic
after 'leopard spotted' in Mulund hospital staff quarters
Forest
officials and Sanjay Gandhi National Park authorities kept vigil outside the
workshop for three days, but there was no trace of the big cat
NEWSLINK: Tigers to get bigger enclosure in Sanjay Gandhi National Park
Tigers
to get bigger enclosure in Sanjay Gandhi National Park
The
forest authorities have released one of the tigers into a bigger enclosure so
that the big cat gets more space to roam around. So far, only
lions ...
Saturday, 17 January 2015
NEWSLINK - UNITED KINGDOM-LEICESTERSHIRE-Panther, puma or pet dog? Big cat sightings in Leicestershire over the years
Black panther spotted on Leicestershire road shocks man driving to rugby match
Mr Voyce, 23, who lives in Laughton, said: “I hit my brakes and realised it was a black panther.
March 2013: Two giant wild cats were reported in the same area within 24 hours. Lorry driver Pip Bexon reported seeing a large black cat in fields near Melton on March 27.
The following day, retired local government officer Peter Mason reported a similar creature a few miles away.
October 2012: Steve Wainwright, of Redmile, spotted a ‘large black cat’ near Scalford as he was travelling home from Melton with friends. Will Parry, who was also in the car, claimed to have seen a ‘panther’ at the top of Stathern Hill.
New Years Day, 2012: Teenager Sarah Burdett saw a big cat in fields at Foxton.
September 2010: Solar panel fitter Pete Base was driving past Greetham Valley Golf Club, in Rutland, when he spotted what he believed was a panther about 100 yards in front of him.
September 2009: Jenny Worthington spotted a big cat near Moira, days after finding a cat-like paw print.
2007: Pc Mick Kaiser, of Shepshed, was jogging along a disused railway when he saw a big black cat.
July 2004: A brown, puma-like animal was seen by motorist Diane Bean, 56, of Scraptoft. It crossed the road in front of her car just outside Beeby.
2003: Government officials spotted ‘a big cat – possibly a panther’ during a woodland inspection off Tofts Hill in Stathern.
September 2002: Joanna Baker, the education officer at Twycross Zoo, reported seeing a 3ft-long cat on a path near Snarestone.
August 2001: Three big cats were reported several miles apart within a month – in Stathern, Twyford and Lowesby.
Early 2001: Three sightings in the countryside around Coalville were reported to Leicestershire and Rutland Panther Watch within three weeks.
There were also two sightings around Coalville in February the following year.
September 2000: Graham Pearce, of Measham, shot video footage of a suspected big cat near the village.
August 1998: Prints found at Ketton Quarry, Rutland, were believed to be those of the Catmose Cat. Castle Cement, which owned the quarry, made a set of concrete prints, which experts said appeared to be feline.
Read more: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Panther-puma-pet-dog-Big-cat-sightings/story-25861965-detail/story.html#ixzz3P5lceztB
Follow us: @Leicester_Merc on Twitter | leicestermercury on Facebook
NEWSLINK -UNITED KINGDOM-SHROPSHIRE-Big cats in Shropshire: A tall tale or serious threat?
There are those who believe pumas and panthers roam the countryside and others who say that without evidence the rumours amount to nothing more than a tall tale.
But there have been 14 reported sightings to Dyfed-Powys Police in the past five years. And numerous claims of seeing big cats in Shropshire, according to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, show that residents across the region have been calling police officers over what they believe is a big cat on the prowl.From large paw prints in the snow to a lamb mauled by a “panther” and a “puma” in a field, alleged sightings have taken place in Telford, Oswestry, Meifod and Llanidloes.
Big cats have roamed Britain for hundreds of years, according to believers.
Stories of big cats go back to the 1960s and 1970s when it was legal and fashionable to keep exotic animals as pets.
Before the Dangerous Wild Animals Act in 1976, the wealthy could take their lion, tiger or cheetah for a walk without even a licence. But the law was changed to protect the public.
Savaged lambs and prints in the snow as animals sighted
This picture of a suspected big cat lying in a field was taken near Llandrindod Wells in 1994
This picture of a suspected big cat lying in a field was taken near Llandrindod Wells in 1994
2009/10
July, Builth Wells, lamb badly injured, lower jaw bitten off. Panther in area.
September, Llanidloes, large black cat sighted in field, size of a golden retriever.
2010/11
June, Builth Wells, large wild cat chased caller. Not a dog, making growling noises.
August, Brecon, foal eaten by suspected big cat.
September, Oswestry, big cat sighting, running, size of sheep dog.
December, Knighton, sighted large animal, definitely cat, passed vehicle in the dark. Tracks in the snow found two days ago.
December, Knighton, panther sighting in garden. Large cat, jet black in colour.
Large paw prints in snow in the garden, larger than a dog. Possibly large cat.
2011/12
January, Brecon, six years ago reported big cat footprints. Lots of footprints, quite big, see claw marks.
January, A4067, sighting of large cat type creature. Crouched as if to spring. In headlights looked brown.
February, Brecon, big cat sighted size of large dog. Moved like a cat.
2012/13
January, Brecon, big cat sighted. Size of a cougar, too big to be any local dog.
2013/14
March, Brecon, animal footprints found on Black Mountains, may be big cat sighting.
June, Meifod, puma spotted in a field, bigger than a dog.
While many owners gave their pets to zoos or put them down, rumours started that some had released their animals into the wild.
Enthusiasts also think that they were brought to Britain by the Romans and escaped from travelling zoos and menageries for decades.
Over the years each sighting has added a new twist to the mystery of the big cat.READ MORE AND SEE VIDEO LINK-http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2015/01/12/big-cats-in-shropshire-a-tall-tale-or-serious-threat/
Thursday, 15 January 2015
US SIGHTING: Mountain lion struck, killed by car on highway in San Bruno
Mountain
lion struck, killed by car on highway in San Bruno
Arriving
officers found the big cat on the side of the roadway and determined it
died after being hit by a car. The car was not at the scene when
officers ...
NEWSLINK: Leopard injures 3 near Deesa
Leopard
injures 3 near Deesa
The
big cat had created a scare in number of villages since Tuesday. The
forest department has put up cages at various places but the big
cat ...
UK SIGHTINGS: Big black cat spotted prowling around Barwell and Burbage
|
Hinckley
Times
|
Big
black cat spotted prowling around Barwell and Burbage
The
big black cat has been spotted on the prowl again in Burbage and ... “When I got
home I went onto the big cats website and it was definitely
the ...
US SIGHTINGS: Mountain lion spotted in Redwood City
Mountain
lion spotted in Redwood City
The
big cat was seen at a distance by a handful of people living in the ...
should wave your arms, make lots of noise and throw things at the big cat
to ...
Mountain Lion Sighted From Neighborhood Near Redwood City
Mountain Lion Sighted From Neighborhood Near Redwood City
A
mountain lion was spotted Saturday morning near Redwood City, San Mateo County
emergency services officials said. The big cat was seen from
a ...
NEWSLINK: Linton Zoo lions play with old Christmas trees
|
BBC
News
|
Linton
Zoo lions play with old Christmas trees
The
trees are used as toys by the big cats while others are used in the zoo's
bio-burner to provide additional heating for the buildings. People
have ...
Tuesday, 13 January 2015
NEWSLINK: Bobcat hit by car gets stuck in grille
3:14 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015
A bobcat in Arizona received the ride of its life and managed to survive a freak accident.
According to KPHO, A.J. Michaels was driving to a restaurant on New Year’s Day when he hit what he believed to be an animal. Once he arrived at the restaurant, he inspected his car for damage and found a bobcat trapped inside the car’s grille.
Michaels initially thought the animal was dead, but then detected movement.
Arizona Game and Fish Department officials were called to the scene to remove the animal. The bobcat was safely removed from the vehicle. An initial examination suggests the bobcat may have suffered a back injury during the ordeal.
Bobcats are commonly seen throughout Arizona.
US SIGHTINGS: Mountain lion spotted in backyard of Vista home
City News Service , 10News Digital Team
11:45 AM, Jan 3, 2015
6:35 PM, Jan 3, 2015
VISTA, Calif. - A mountain lion was spotted in the backyard of a Vista home early Saturday, but ran off before state wildlife officers arrived.
A resident alerted the sheriff's department to the animal in the 300 block of West Connecticut Avenue, near Avenue de Benito Juarez, shortly before 2:30 a.m., according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
The homeowner says he spotted it only after his dog started barking and alerted him to the animal.
He told 10News his dog Sammy started barking non-stop at about 2:30 a.m. When he got up to see what was going on, he spotted the big cat in a tree on his property. He says he grabbed his flashlight and saw the animal's eyes glowing in the dark.
NEWSLINK: Cougar expert says big cats could return to Northeast US, neighboring Canada
Last Updated: January 01, 2015 - 10:14 am
MONTPELIER, Vermont — A Vermont animal tracker known nationally for her expertise in tracking cougars believes the big cats will eventually return to the Northeastern United States and neighboring parts of Canada, but she says the region won't see large numbers of them anytime soon.
The forests of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and upstate New York have ideal cougar habitat, meaning plentiful forest cover and large animals to sustain a cougar population, said Sue Morse of Jericho, the science director and founder of the organization Keeping Track.
"Back in the '80s, I just looked at that huge expanse of country between the Rockies, the western slope of the Rockies and here, and I thought to myself 'how can this happen?'" said Morse.
NEWSLINK: Panther road kills up to 24
Chad Gillis, cgillis@news-press.com5:28 p.m. EST December 29, 2014
The number of dead panthers documented in 2014 climbed higher Monday after state biologists recovered a 2-year-old male panther in Collier County.
The big cat was uncollared and was hit along Golden Gate Boulevard and represents the 24th road kill this year, and the 31st death overall — both of which are records, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission records.
Road kills have been problematic in Southwest Florida for decades and have risen, consistently, in recent years. Biologists say there are simply more panthers in the wild today than years ago.
The theory is that more drivers plus more panthers equals more road kills.
US SIGHTINGS: Hillsborough: Mountain lion spotted, dead deer later found at private residence
Bay City News Service
POSTED: 12/26/2014 12:15:44 PM
HILLSBOROUGH -- A mountain lion was spotted in Hillsborough early Friday morning and a dead deer apparently killed by the big cat was later found in the area, San Mateo County emergency officials said.
A resident in the 500 block of El Cerrito Avenue spotted an animal in a tree around 1 a.m. that they believed to be a mountain lion.
The incident was reported to Hillsborough police at about 8:30 a.m. Officers responded and found a dead deer on the resident's property with injuries consistent with a predator attack, county officials said.
Sunday, 11 January 2015
UK SIGHTINGS: ‘Sandy-coloured panthers’ spark 999 call in Suffolk
Matt GawThursday, January 1, 2015
Big cats are stalking the region’s fields, woodlands and villages, according to calls to Suffolk police.
New information released by the force reveals that officers have been called for assistance ten times over the last decade – with the most recent sighting taking place last month.
On November 12 officers were told to keep an eye out for “two sandy-coloured black panthers” running by woods in Red Lodge after a call from a startled member of the public.
However, patrols in the area turned up a blank, and no further sightings of the animals were recorded.
There has been at least one call to police each year since 2009, with a spike in reports in 2004, when officers were notified of ‘big cats’ a total of four times.
A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said: “It is rare that we receive these types of calls in the county, but if someone does believe they have seen a big cat they can contact police. If there is immediate danger we will respond, but often the sighting will be referred to other agencies such as the RSPCA.”
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