UK: Big cat expert claims five confirmed sightings of pumas in UK with breeding population of 250 across country

A wildcat expert revealed there have been five confirmed sightings of pumas in the UK and warned a population of around 250 are breeding across the country.

Rick Minter, Britain's leading big cat tracker, said he has seen "conclusive" videos of the animals amid estimates that hundreds have made the UK their home.

Commenting on the rush of sightings this year, former countryside government adviser Minter says he regularly receives reports of the American mountain lions and black panthers.

He told Daily Star Online: “Some snippets of big cats have been caught on trail cameras or camera traps. Several of these are shown at my talks.

“There was one farmer coming away from a meeting and he showed it on his mobile phone.

Absolutely 10 out of 10 quality video footage of a puma on his land.

We came back jaw-dropping… but he was keeping it quiet and to himself.”

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PHOTOS: Tigress gives birth to three cubs at Panna

Panna Tiger Reserve is welcoming new tiger cubs in its jungle areas after starting the rehabilitation project. About one month back, a tigress had given birth to three cubs which increased the number of tigers at Panna from 42 to 45. Talking about the birth of cubs, Panna officials said that they are worried about the tigress and three cubs as there is no radio collar on their neck. They said that though patrolling guard and field staff have been deployed to ensure safety of the big cats but due to lack of radio collar their lives are in danger. The tigress with the three cubs are in buffer zone for a month but Forest Department failed to click photographs of the big cats.

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NEWSLINK: Tiger kills one in Brahmapuri forest in Chandrapur district

A tiger claimed one more life in Brahmapuri forest in Chandrapur district on Friday evening. Ashok Janglu Chaudhary, 53, a forest labourer was attacked when he was returning to Gunjewahi village near Sindewahi town.

“He was a fire-watcher in Gunjewahi beat and was returning after finishing the days work. He was found dead along the way. We suspect it to be a tiger attack,” Deputy Conservator of Forest Kulraj Singh said.

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NEWSLINK: Injured tiger found dead at Rajasthan's Sariska Tiger Reserve, officials deny overdose of tranquilliser

A tiger died in the Sariska Tiger Reserve on Saturday, June 8 after being tranquillised during the course of ongoing treatment. The tiger had allegedly been injured and was being treated for the same. The tiger was identified as ST-16.

The incident came to light after the forest officials observed that the tiger had not moved for a long time. When the officials reached there, it was discovered that the tiger had passed away.

The tiger had suffered an injury on its right elbow. The officials had allegedly administered treatment to the tiger and had released it into the forest. According to ANI, the officials denied that the overdose of tranquilisers could have caused the death of the tiger.
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NEWSLINK: Year later, another big cat caught on cam at Sahyadri Tiger Reserve

A year after it recorded the first sighting of a tiger in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR) in eight years, the forest department has caught another big cat of the habitat on camera.

"A camera trap in the Radhanagari wildlife sanctuary has captured a male tiger in the first week of May. This is a young male," Satyajeet Gujar, chief conservator of forests (CCF) at the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve said.

The reserve, which covers the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and Chandoli National Park, suffers from lack of breeding, resident tigers, and a poor prey base.

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NEWSLINK: After Losing 1 Leopard Every Day Last Year, India Has Already Lost 218 Leopards 4 Months Into 2019

In the first four months of 2019, India lost 218 leopards, which is more than 40% of the previous year’s total leopard death toll. According to data kept by the nonprofit Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), 500 leopards died in 2018.

According to data compiled by the WPSI, at least one leopard died every day in 2018 - beaten or shot to death, run over by trains, or trapped in wells or other water bodies. 

Poaching has been the leading cause of death in 2019, claiming 57 leopards between January and April.

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NEWSLINK: 36 quarantined lions may never be freed in the wild

The 36 Asiatic lions that have been quarantined for eight months following the canine distemper virus (CDV) outbreak will never be released into the wild, according to forest department officials.

Apparently, department's experts believe these big cats can contract the disease again and become carriers of the virus thus putting other lions at risk. Therefore, in the first week of May, the state forest department decided to indefinitely extend captivity of the lions.
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