| Bear -- yes, panther -- no Two
reports of large predators, both posted on social media over the ... He
stated that he as investigated a number of reports of big cats over the last ... |
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
Sunday, 31 May 2020
GEORGIA (USA): Bear -- yes, panther -- no
MORE ON THE ESCAPED SAVANNAH CAT
Caught on camera: Billionaire's Row big cat that roams streets of wealthy neighbourhood A big cat
that has been spotted roaming the streets of one of Britain's most ...
Savannah cats are characterised by their large bodies, long necks, ... |
Armed police swarm home over 'big cat' sighting Pictures taken in a garden in East Finchley show a large cat with spotted markings, which multiple residents feared was a cheetah or leopard. The ... Can you get a Savannah cat in the UK? The law around the Serval hybrid and other big cats ... - iNews |
| Big cat dubbed 'Beast of Billionaire's Row' may be staying alive by feeding on tycoons' pets A big cat
dubbed the 'Beast of Billionaire's Row" savaged a kitten and may be
staying alive by feeding on tycoons' pets, claimed a local animal lover. |
Tuesday, 26 May 2020
AUSTRALIA: Photo of large feral cat with sand goanna in its jaws captured by accident
Photo of large feral cat with sand goanna in its jaws captured by accident
It was captured inadvertently by cameras being used for carcass research; Experts say it's not uncommon for feral cats to take larger animals. The image ...
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ARTICLE: Big cat sightings in Cumbria and the mysterious creatures spotted in the county
From the Beast of Bodmin in the south, to mysterious lynx like cat spotted in Cumbria, big cat sightings have been recorded up and down England for years.
The phenomenon is often linked back to the 60s and 70s when a law change meant keeping big cats was no longer legal without a license.
Some say this caused people who had purchased exotic pets from places like Harrods to dump them in the countryside.
Whether those once-prized pets could have survived in the wild, or bred, leading to sightings over the years, is a point few can agree on.
In April this year, photos were posted in a Facebook group called Big Cats in Cumbria after a woman spotted a "muscular" beast in the countryside when she was driving on her way to work.
Read more...
The phenomenon is often linked back to the 60s and 70s when a law change meant keeping big cats was no longer legal without a license.
Some say this caused people who had purchased exotic pets from places like Harrods to dump them in the countryside.
Whether those once-prized pets could have survived in the wild, or bred, leading to sightings over the years, is a point few can agree on.
In April this year, photos were posted in a Facebook group called Big Cats in Cumbria after a woman spotted a "muscular" beast in the countryside when she was driving on her way to work.
Read more...
SIGHTING, UK: Expert says a "large feline" may have been spotted in Basingstoke
An expert says a "large feline" may have been spotted in Basingstoke after a resident thought it could have been a black panther.
As previously reported in the Gazette, Henrik Winberg, 43, from Winklebury was walking his dog when he spotted a large animal in the field in front of him.
Henrik was walking his dog around 5.30am up on Manydown farm when he spotted a "black panther" about 100 meters away moving fast.
The British Big Cats Society said: "The image is very interesting as it does initially look like it could be a large feline.
"However, as there is no real sense of scale and the fact the image is so poor quality – it could actually still be a dog or even a large fox.
"It could also be brown – rather than black – due to the way it is lit.
"That said – it would be useful to get more details from the photographer; as there have been many sightings of large cats in Hampshire.
Read more...
As previously reported in the Gazette, Henrik Winberg, 43, from Winklebury was walking his dog when he spotted a large animal in the field in front of him.
Henrik was walking his dog around 5.30am up on Manydown farm when he spotted a "black panther" about 100 meters away moving fast.
The British Big Cats Society said: "The image is very interesting as it does initially look like it could be a large feline.
"However, as there is no real sense of scale and the fact the image is so poor quality – it could actually still be a dog or even a large fox.
"It could also be brown – rather than black – due to the way it is lit.
"That said – it would be useful to get more details from the photographer; as there have been many sightings of large cats in Hampshire.
Read more...
Friday, 22 May 2020
CARL WRITES: Big Cat spotted near decapitated body of lamb near Exeter
Read the story here...
I will just be forthright concerning the pictures taken near Tedburn St Mary: They are of a black dog (and not the spectral kind). This is most clear in the first photo, which clearly shows
an enthusiastic dog, running, tail up, ears back, tongue probably hanging out, likely chasing something. The second picture is more vague, and this might account for the media’s interest, but it still shows a form more canine than feline. 100% a dog.
CARL WRITES: Is there [another] big cat on the loose in Helensburgh
Read the story here...
Arguably, the most famous alleged case of a big cat from Helensburgh (Argyll and Bute, Scotland) occurred in July 2009, when MoD Police dog handler Chris Swallow, reported seeing a large
black cat close to the West Highland railway line, near his home. Unfortunately it was nothing of the sort! But, as is often the case with ABC reports, once a story makes headlines, that’s it, it become set in stone, especially when the witness is obviously
credible and very unlikely to have created a hoax. However, what Mr Swallow observed was, without doubt, a black domestic cat. It just so happened that from his observation point, which was positioned in such a way that made the tracks seem considerably closer
together than they actually are; thus making the cat in question look larger. This can be conclusively proven if one watches the entire unedited video, which, as the frame pans out, more of the track farther along the line is revealed, which then veers round
to the right, lining up perfectly now with the observer and showing the actual width of the track, and correcting the illusion. Unfortunately the cat doesn’t continue along the line to this point. Mr Swallow, by focusing on framing the animal with his camera,
would likely have not noticed this at the time. There is unfortunately little unanimity among ABC researchers. And we must do a better job of separating the ‘wheat from the chaff’ if we are ever going to make better sense of the British phenomenon. The recent
case published on May 9th seems genuine enough, in the sense the location of the sighting (Helensburgh Golf Club’s course) is the kind of place where wildlife and man do come into contact, and during the covid 19 lockdown, who is to say these animals
haven’t been making the most of our absence, in fact, they likely have! Here we have two eyewitnesses, a man and his wife (both unnamed), observing an animal at a distance close enough to be identifiable. With that being said, one must also consider whether
the couple had been influenced by the erroneous, but nonetheless well known, 2009 report. There have been other reports made from Helensburgh, other than the two examples mentioned here; even a few observations of faun coloured big cats believed to be pumas.
So who knows. Unfortunately, again, we don’t have much to work with. We must therefore remain cautious, but not overcautious.
CARL WRITES: Pucklechurch Big Cat
Read the story here...
This is quite an interesting report for two reasons. Firstly, Linda Elliot didn’t see any ears on the black animal she observed, which might actually be considered as positive evidence. At
face value this helps eliminate dogs, foxes, and domestic cats, most of which have pronounced, pointed ears, especially foxes and domestic cats. Also, in my opinion, 150 yards would likely be close enough to establish whether one is looking at an animal the
size of a domestic cat or a leopard. The second encounter, observed under different conditions, showed that the animal likely wasn’t black at all, and in fact was probably dark brown; therefore possibly a puma. The witness said she didn't notice a tail. Of
course, if the cat really didn’t have a tail (or much of one), and it wasn’t just a case of the tail not being easily observable at the time, then a large lynx seems most likely. Evidence for lynx in Britain is becoming more robust, although, the lack of obvious
ears reported here would indicate this was a puma. It is already being claimed that this was a big cat hybrid. I’m not going to get into the improbability of this theory here, other than to clearly state that the chances of this occurring regularly in the
UK are, at best, negligible. The so called big cat pictured in the article, which was photographed last year, is obviously nothing more than a faun coloured dog.
Tuesday, 19 May 2020
NEWSLINK: Three-year-old leopard rescued from well
Quick thinking by locals from Pimpalgaon as well the Junnar Forest division helped save the life of a three-year-old female leopard, which had fallen in a well on Sunday morning.
According to forest department officials, it was early on Sunday a local farmer Kisan Khandagale alerted them about a leopard fallen in the well. Even as the forest officials rushed to the spot they found the leopard frantically swimming in the well.
Read more...
According to forest department officials, it was early on Sunday a local farmer Kisan Khandagale alerted them about a leopard fallen in the well. Even as the forest officials rushed to the spot they found the leopard frantically swimming in the well.
Read more...
NEWSLINK: Woman attacks cougar while trying to save dog
A woman came face-to-face with a cougar after the big cat attacked a small dog during an outing at the Nanaimo River.
The hair-raising encounter happened the evening of Saturday, May 9 on private forest property on a crossing known as Jump Bridge just north of South Forks Rd.
Jenny Albright responded with force after the young cougar mauled her friend’s chihuahua while they were day-camping with their children.
Read more...
The hair-raising encounter happened the evening of Saturday, May 9 on private forest property on a crossing known as Jump Bridge just north of South Forks Rd.
Jenny Albright responded with force after the young cougar mauled her friend’s chihuahua while they were day-camping with their children.
Read more...
PHOTOS: Orono family snaps pics of big cats visiting their yard
It was a sunny Wednesday afternoon, and Lori Lommler Beazley's daughter, Greta, was playing out in the yard when the little lady had an up-close-and-personal encounter with a couple of not-so-average big kitties.
"My 7-yr-old daughter was out in the garden and she said that two of them walked by her (sounds like they were maybe 15 feet away from her). She bolted into the house saying 'Mama! Did you see how close those animals came to me?' I asked what kind of animals and she ran to the window and I saw one of them sauntering into the woods next to our house," Lori explained.
Read more...
"My 7-yr-old daughter was out in the garden and she said that two of them walked by her (sounds like they were maybe 15 feet away from her). She bolted into the house saying 'Mama! Did you see how close those animals came to me?' I asked what kind of animals and she ran to the window and I saw one of them sauntering into the woods next to our house," Lori explained.
Read more...
VIDEO: Leopard attacks man in Hyderabad, spine-chilling moment captured on CCTV
Terrifying visuals of a leopard pouncing on a truck cleaner near Katedan on the outskirts of Hyderabad surfaced on Saturday.
Two days after the leopard was seen resting in the middle of a road, the CCTV visuals of its attack on a lorry cleaner have emerged. In the same video clip, the feline is also seen facing the charge from a pack of dogs.
Read more...
Two days after the leopard was seen resting in the middle of a road, the CCTV visuals of its attack on a lorry cleaner have emerged. In the same video clip, the feline is also seen facing the charge from a pack of dogs.
Read more...
PHOTO: Sleeping man's close encounter with leopard
This is the moment a sleeping man cheats death when a wild leopard checks him out before walking away after straying into a petrol station in India.
In CCTV footage, the man is seen sleeping on a chair beside the pumps as the big cat strolls around the petrol station.
Villagers in Maletha, in the northern state of Uttarakhand, have asked forest officials to capture the animal as it remains a threat to locals during the night.
Read more...
In CCTV footage, the man is seen sleeping on a chair beside the pumps as the big cat strolls around the petrol station.
Villagers in Maletha, in the northern state of Uttarakhand, have asked forest officials to capture the animal as it remains a threat to locals during the night.
Read more...
SIGHTING, UK: Via Richard Muirhead - ‘Big cat’ spotted after decapitated lamb found near Exeter
Pictures have been taken of a large black cat near Tedburn St Mary in an area where a decapitated lamb was found.
They were sent in by a reader who lives near Tedburn St Mary and said: "I was in my garden today when I saw this black cat looking thing in the field. It appeared to be mauling something in the grass.
"It got scared by my presence and this was when you could tell it was a large cat, from the way it ran through the long grass.
"I have now been told that just up the road from this sighting, there was a lamb discovered with its head missing in a unclean manner."
Read more...
They were sent in by a reader who lives near Tedburn St Mary and said: "I was in my garden today when I saw this black cat looking thing in the field. It appeared to be mauling something in the grass.
"It got scared by my presence and this was when you could tell it was a large cat, from the way it ran through the long grass.
"I have now been told that just up the road from this sighting, there was a lamb discovered with its head missing in a unclean manner."
Read more...
Tuesday, 12 May 2020
NEWSLINK: Lion spotted resting inside school after hunting for food in village during lockdown
A lion was caught on camera venturing in a school as it made an appearance to villagers during coronavirus lockdown in India.
The majestic beast took a stroll around the Una Village of Gir Somnath district in the country's southwestern state of Gujarat on Wednesday as it tried to prey on cattle at a nearby shed.
Stunned villagers tracked down the lion and found it hiding in a deserted primary school.
Video shared on Twitter shows the big cat resting on a ledge by a broken fence.
Officers from the Forest Department have to tranquillise the lion and put it to sleep before releasing it back to the jungle.
Read more...
The majestic beast took a stroll around the Una Village of Gir Somnath district in the country's southwestern state of Gujarat on Wednesday as it tried to prey on cattle at a nearby shed.
Stunned villagers tracked down the lion and found it hiding in a deserted primary school.
Video shared on Twitter shows the big cat resting on a ledge by a broken fence.
Officers from the Forest Department have to tranquillise the lion and put it to sleep before releasing it back to the jungle.
Read more...
SIGHTING, UK: Woman left shaking after spotting big cat
The last thing Lynda Elliott expected to see while out walking her dog was a large black cat.
Although the 54-year-old civil servant enjoys spotting wildlife in the fields and woods around her home in Emerson’s Green near Hucclechurch, she was expecting to see deer, not a large animal 'the size of black Labrador.'
And she was even more shocked when the creature picked up her scent and began to walk towards her.
Now she's shared her experience, as Gloucestershire's big cat expert says sightings could be more frequent as wildlife returns to urban areas during lockdwon.
Lynda didn't realise how close she was to the animal she spotted, until she noticed it hunting.
Read more...
Although the 54-year-old civil servant enjoys spotting wildlife in the fields and woods around her home in Emerson’s Green near Hucclechurch, she was expecting to see deer, not a large animal 'the size of black Labrador.'
And she was even more shocked when the creature picked up her scent and began to walk towards her.
Now she's shared her experience, as Gloucestershire's big cat expert says sightings could be more frequent as wildlife returns to urban areas during lockdwon.
Lynda didn't realise how close she was to the animal she spotted, until she noticed it hunting.
Read more...
PAW PRINTS, UK: Mysterious paw prints that could belong to 'puma' found in Birstall by beast hunter
Paw prints found in the Birstall area have backed up claims of a big cat sighting in the area.
LeicestershireLive reported on Thursday that a puma-like animal had got into a stand-off with a dog that was being walked by its owner.
Chris Mullins of BeastWatch UK investigates rare animal sightings around the north of Leicestershire and went to Birstall to have a look around.
He managed to find and photograph a large paw print that was too big to be a domestic cat and lacked the telltale claw marks he would expect from dogs that are unable to retract their claws.
He said: “The area has been investigated and we did find some prints there but they’re only partial prints so it’s not possible to be 100 per cent sure.
“They show no claw marks, which is typical of a feline rather than a dog. They suggest a paw about one-and-a-half to two inches, which is too big for a domestic cat.”
Read more...
LeicestershireLive reported on Thursday that a puma-like animal had got into a stand-off with a dog that was being walked by its owner.
Chris Mullins of BeastWatch UK investigates rare animal sightings around the north of Leicestershire and went to Birstall to have a look around.
He managed to find and photograph a large paw print that was too big to be a domestic cat and lacked the telltale claw marks he would expect from dogs that are unable to retract their claws.
He said: “The area has been investigated and we did find some prints there but they’re only partial prints so it’s not possible to be 100 per cent sure.
“They show no claw marks, which is typical of a feline rather than a dog. They suggest a paw about one-and-a-half to two inches, which is too big for a domestic cat.”
Read more...
LOCAL LEGENDS: Cornwall's big cat, giants and sea monsters that terrified families for centuries
Mysterious animals have terrified families in Cornwall for centuries.
Monsters, big cats, giants, deadly sea creatures and even a merman are said to haunt Cornish lands and waters.
Although some of the stories below might sound unbelievable to most of us, many extraordinary sightings have been made over the decades.
Read more...
Monsters, big cats, giants, deadly sea creatures and even a merman are said to haunt Cornish lands and waters.
Although some of the stories below might sound unbelievable to most of us, many extraordinary sightings have been made over the decades.
Read more...
MYSTERY SOLVED, UK: Armed police scrambled in Kent as tiger sculpture sparks big cat panic
Armed officers and a police helicopter were scrambled to help find a tiger on the loose in the Kent countryside - only to find out the beast was a life-size sculpture made by a local sculptor.
Juliet Simpson, 85, who made the sculpture out of resign and chicken wire some 20 years ago, was alerted by a neighbour who told her that armed officers were walking towards her home in Ightham, near Sevenoaks in Kent.
Laughing the siege off, she told KentOnline: "I had heard the helicopter overhead earlier. I walked up the lane to the policemen coming across the field and I said 'do you want to be introduced to the wild tiger?'”
Read more...
Juliet Simpson, 85, who made the sculpture out of resign and chicken wire some 20 years ago, was alerted by a neighbour who told her that armed officers were walking towards her home in Ightham, near Sevenoaks in Kent.
Laughing the siege off, she told KentOnline: "I had heard the helicopter overhead earlier. I walked up the lane to the policemen coming across the field and I said 'do you want to be introduced to the wild tiger?'”
Read more...
SIGHTING? UK: Police called after big cat spotted near Ightham Mote, close to Sevenoaks
Armed officers and a police helicopter were called after a big cat was spotted by a member of the public near a historic landmark.
Police were called at 10.20am to Mote Road in Ightham, near Sevenoaks, and searched the area nearby.
During their search they "established there was no animal".
A Kent Police spokesman confirmed the National Police Air Service briefly attended the scene.
A spokesman for the force said: "Kent Police was called at 10.23am to Mote Road in Ightham following a report from a member of the public that a large wild cat had been seen in the area.
"Officers, including armed officers, attended as a precaution and, following a search of the area, have established there was no animal and no risk to the public."
Mote Road leads to Ightham Mote, a medieval manor house owned by the National Trust.
Read more...
Police were called at 10.20am to Mote Road in Ightham, near Sevenoaks, and searched the area nearby.
During their search they "established there was no animal".
A Kent Police spokesman confirmed the National Police Air Service briefly attended the scene.
A spokesman for the force said: "Kent Police was called at 10.23am to Mote Road in Ightham following a report from a member of the public that a large wild cat had been seen in the area.
"Officers, including armed officers, attended as a precaution and, following a search of the area, have established there was no animal and no risk to the public."
Mote Road leads to Ightham Mote, a medieval manor house owned by the National Trust.
Read more...
SIGHTING, UK: 'Puma' spotted near Birstall
People walking along the Great Central Railway near Birstall are being warned about a big cat in the area.
An anonymous post on Spotted Birstall on Wednesday evening stated the creature had a stand-off with his dog during a walk at about 4pm that day. He said that despite his pet being a large, 51kg, dog, the big cat was even bigger and looked like it could have killed his dog.
He said: “Walking today at 4pm along the railway track I reached the A46 bridge.
“I looked to my left and saw a large cat staring as I approached the bridge. It turned away but my dog gave chase, stupidly.
“This cat stopped running and went for my dog and they both bolted further into the wooded area."
Read more...
An anonymous post on Spotted Birstall on Wednesday evening stated the creature had a stand-off with his dog during a walk at about 4pm that day. He said that despite his pet being a large, 51kg, dog, the big cat was even bigger and looked like it could have killed his dog.
He said: “Walking today at 4pm along the railway track I reached the A46 bridge.
“I looked to my left and saw a large cat staring as I approached the bridge. It turned away but my dog gave chase, stupidly.
“This cat stopped running and went for my dog and they both bolted further into the wooded area."
Read more...
NEWSLINK: Via Andy Phillipson - "Exceptionally rare footage" of snow leopard's territorial call captured in Pakistan
In February of this year, researchers working in Pakistan's Karakoram Mountains captured "exceptionally rare footage" of a male snow leopard marking his territory and calling loudly across a snow-covered landscape. These secretive cats share their remote, mountainous homes with only a small number of human inhabitants, and the reverberating yawp is a sound few people have heard in the wild.
The remarkable video, released last week by The White Lion Foundation (TWLF), was captured using a specialist remote field camera strategically placed along a nature trail in the Khaplu Valley of Baltistan in the Himalayas. The high-definition cameras have been set up in the area to monitor the wild snow leopard population and assess how many of these "grey ghosts" are hiding out in the lofty landscape.
Read more...
The remarkable video, released last week by The White Lion Foundation (TWLF), was captured using a specialist remote field camera strategically placed along a nature trail in the Khaplu Valley of Baltistan in the Himalayas. The high-definition cameras have been set up in the area to monitor the wild snow leopard population and assess how many of these "grey ghosts" are hiding out in the lofty landscape.
Read more...
Monday, 11 May 2020
UK SIGHTING: Beast of Dartmoor
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TIGERS IN THE SUNDABARNS
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Big cat count rises to 96 in West Bengal's Sundarbans
A large part of the Sundarbans forest, the world's largest mangrove reserve and one of the most unique ecosystems in South Asia recognised as ...
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AUSTRALIAN SIGHTING: Black panther sighting at Redhead on Awabakal track
 Black panther sighting at Redhead on Awabakal track
Big Cat:
A woman points to the precise spot where she spotted a suspected black
panther on the Awabakal track at Redhead. A Redhead woman says ...
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UK SIGHTINGS: North Yorkshire
Number of 'big cat' sightings reported between 01/01/2014 & 11/04/2019
A “big cat” is a large cat
not native to the UK, often described as a “leopard”, “puma” or
“panther”. To include, for each sighting: Location of sighting (inc.
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US SIGHTING: wa Walkers alerted to cougar perched in tree at Bellingham's Whatcom Falls Park
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Walkers alerted to cougar perched in tree at Bellingham's Whatcom Falls Park
Urbano snapped photos and video of the cougar, as did Timothy Duryee, who told The Herald in an email that the big cat just checked people out from ...
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BIG CAT ATTACKS IN INDIA
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Man killed in tiger attack
The incident occurred a day after a woman was injured in an attack by a big cat in Raviarsoda village in Armori forest range, also in Gadchiroli district.
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Three-year-old boy killed by leopard
Forest officials have launched a search for the big cat, they said. Forest Minister Anand Singh visited the boy''s family and announced a compensation ...
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US SIGHTINBGS: South Carolina puma
I never thought of a big cat because I don't think we have mountain lions in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. My neighbor heard it and couldn't place .
Read on...
Thursday, 7 May 2020
ASIAN LION IN SCHOOL
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Caught on cam: Lion rescued from school in Gujarat; entered human settlement in search of food
After the rescue, the big cat was released in the wild. Ahmedabad: In another man-animal conflict, a lion trespassed into a human territory in search of ...
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US SIGHTING: Possible cougar caught on camera in Chicago suburb
May 5 (UPI) -- A resident of a Chicago suburb captured security camera footage of a large cat that an expert said could be a wandering cougar.
Marilynn Sullivan said she went to shut off her security cameras Friday morning at her home in Gurnee when she noticed the camera's motion sensor had been triggered.
Wednesday, 6 May 2020
UK SIGHTINGS: Leicestershire pugmarks
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Mysterious paw prints that could belong to 'puma' found in Birstall by beast hunter
He managed to find and photograph a large paw print that was too big to be a domestic cat and lacked the telltale claw marks he would expect from dogs ...
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US SIGHTINGS: Chicago Cougar
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Cougar May Be On The Prowl In Gurnee
“I
looked at it and saw what I thought was a large cougar,” Sullivan said.
... I've seen coyotes but they have long noses and this has a big cat face.”.
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SCIENCE: Lion evolution study
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Lion evolution study reveals a roadmap for big cat repopulation
New research into the genetic links between different lion populations offers some hope for the vulnerable big cat. Researchers report that a new ...
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INDIAN TIGER TRAGEDY
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5-year-old tiger dies within minutes of being tranquilised in UP
But the big cat
died within 15 minutes after it was tranquilised. Deputy director of
PTR Naveen Khandelwal said the tiger collapsed during the period it ...
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KENTISH TIGER DRAMA
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Not fur real: Armed police swoop on sleepy Kent village after a 'tiger' is spotted on the loose... but ...
Kent Police sent an armed response unit to reports of the big cat skulking around the village of Ightham, near Sevenoaks in Kent. But they were left ...
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