Monday, 31 December 2018

ARTICLE: All Cornwall and Devon's big cat sightings revealed

The question of whether there is a big and mysterious beast roaming wild around the Moors of Devon and Cornwall is one that captures the imagination.

Many people remain convinced that the so-called ‘Beast of Bodmin’, actually exists, with the beast described as a phantom wild cat, possibly with two sharp prominent teeth, like those found on a leopard.

It was first spotted in 1983 and, since the first sightings, reports of the Beast of Bodmin have flooded in the police’s system.

Now the number of possible sightings reported to Devon and Cornwall Police in the last eight years has been revealed - scroll down to see the full list!

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NEWSLINK: Are the mountain lion sightings in Monterey for real?

There are no photos. There is no proof. The government says they don't exist here. And so does the state. There are only quick sightings around town of the large cat known as the mountain lion. "It ran right in front of my truck a few weeks ago," said Kenneth Basler, a town official who said he saw the large cat around Stevens Pond off Route 23 between Monterey and Great Barrington. "It was around 4 feet long, not including the tail." Reports of mountain lions have gotten some mileage lately throughout these rural hills, with possible sightings, and on occasion, some worry about the safety of people and animals. But maybe there's nothing to worry about. The sightings are often met with suspicion; some say the "Bigfoot factor" is hard at work.

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Sunday, 16 December 2018

NEWSLINK: No lessons from Avni? Three-old tiger killed by monsters in Chandarpur forest

While a controversy rages over lapses in the killing of a man-eating tigress at Yavatmal by a private hunter hired by the forest department, there is more bad news in store for tigers and animal lovers. A three-year old tiger was poached via electrocution near the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) at Chandrapur.
The core and buffer areas of the TATR have over 80 of the estimated 203 tigers in Maharashtra, making in the most tiger-dense landscape in the state with the neighbouring Brahmapuri forest division. According to National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) data, a total of 16 tigers have died in Maharashtra this year. This death takes the number to 17. In addition, three cubs were mowed down by a train last month at Chandrapur.

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SIGHTING, UK: Beast of Bucks is back after terrified driver reports spotting mystery feline

For years locals have reported brief glimpses of a large cat - believed to be a puma and dubbed the ‘Beast of Bucks’ - stalking the area.


The latest sighting was reported in Princes Risborough on November 30 by a panicked homeowner, who spotted a large animal prowling just metres from her home.


Paulo Nicolaides, who has dedicated his life to wild cat research after developing an interest in the mystery creatures when he was a young boy, reported the latest incident on his ‘Big Cats of the Chilterns’ blog.


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Thursday, 13 December 2018

NEWSLINK: Grocery shop owner killed in tiger attack near Tadoba-Andheri Tiger Reserve

In yet another tiger attack in Warora tehsil, a person was killed on the spot at Ramdegi, a scenic spot adjacent to Tadoba-Andheri Tiger Reserve (TATR),on Monday. As per reports, the deceased, identified as Sandip Arjun Titre, 38, was a resident of village Ralegaon in the tehsil. Sandip had a grocery shop at Ramdegi where tourists throng in large numbers to enjoy waterfall and scenic beauty of the place. On Monday, Sandip opened his shop around 8 am and carried out regular cleaning works. Later, he went to attend nature’s call in behind the bushes. However, a tiger hiding behind the bushes suddenly attacked Sandip.

When he failed to return, his wife asked other shopkeepers to find him out. And when they went to see him, they were shocked to horrifying scene. A tiger was eating the body of Sandip, stated Bhaurao Nannaware and Ramu Patil, the eye witnesses while talking to ‘The Hitavada’.

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Wednesday, 12 December 2018

NEWSLINK: Orphaned tiger successfully relocated

The three-year-old tiger has been rewilded independently in Sanjay Tiger Reserve, Sidhi, from Kanha.

Translocation of orphaned tiger was successfully carried out from Kanha Tiger Reserve to Sanjay Tiger Reserve, Sidhi, on Monday. The orphan cub was rescued three years back from Mukki forest circle and was grown in captivity at Kanha Tiger Reserve. Three-year-old tiger has been rewilded independently in Sanjay Tiger Reserve, Sidhi.

A combined team of wildlife experts from Kanha Tiger Reserve, Pench Tiger Reserve and Sanjay Tiger Reserve completed necessary preparations as per the guidelines of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) before tranquilising the male tiger and his blood sampling.

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Tuesday, 11 December 2018

ARTICLE: We must try to save ‘Highland tiger’

Attempts to save wildcats raise complex and morally tricky questions, writes Jonny Hughes. Of all Scotland’s wild mammals, the wildcat is perhaps the most elusive. I’ve only ever had a good sighting of one once – on the dunes at Coul Links in east Sutherland back in 1994. Though I didn’t know it at the time, the animal I saw was unlikely to have been a pure-bred wildcat, despite displaying all the physical characteristics of the species, including a wonderfully bushy tail. It’s highly likely it was a hybrid between a domestic cat and the ancestors of the European wildcats that colonised Britain 9,000 years ago by crossing the ice which then connected us to the continent.

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