Alien big cats

[Metal mug]

Has anyone ever seen a big cat? Or found tracks of one? I found some quite large cat pawprints next to a dead sheep once, I do have some photos of the prints. (Somewhere :o) The pain was that I didn't have anything to put in the photo to show scale. But there was something odd going on for certain.

[swkieran]

yep i have metal mug :),looked like a panther to me i didnt really have a chance to see it properly,only way i could describe it was like a greyhound only more squat and longer and it slinked when it ran,that was like 5 years ago now and it was out south brent way,it was one of those moments you wish you a had a camera on you lol.im not the only one to see them out that way,i do beleive there are big cats out on the moor and surronding countryside :),i think theyve been bought over illegally and got to much and people have released them,good luck in youre quest m8:)

[RobbC]

Ive found fresh tracks that looked like wolf tracks in the woods near me, massive they were to. Ive also found one track that looked just like a big cats one. Hasnt stopped me goin, although i now make damn sure i have my axe in my hand when im there. Lol

Robb

[Tony1948]

Ha guys you be cairfull out there! ...............and dont get eaten by the bears.......atb............TONY

[RobbC]

Its not the bears thats worrying me, its the possibility of wolves that is :p

Robb

[happybonzo]

This "big cat" business has been dripping on for years. You would have thought that by now some little Oink would have wrapped his Corsa around one as the UK is not a very big place.

There has never been a big cat carcass found-as yet. There was a skull found a while back but the presence of micro organisms that were not native to the UK said that it may have been a hoax placed by naughty people.
When the Dangerous Wild Animal Act was introduced a lot of strange animals found their way to Northern Ireland where the Act did not apply. I would not have put it past some owners just to have kicked their animals out on the local moors though.

The problem is that there are a lot of reports from what any of us on Natural Bushcraft would describe as "normal" people and not the lunatic fringe. My view is that there is something about and people who may know the definitive answer aren't telling. There was some report from the Forestry Commission that they may have had some images on a fixed IR camera but again, no-one is saying

With regard to tracks: Dog paw marks placed in mud will appear to become bigger with the passage of time. Take your dog and place his paw in some mud where it won't be disturbed and then go and look at the same print other following day. It will be bigger.

Wolves? @RobbC - isn't there some blokey in Scotland who wants to release the B. things up there? I should imagine that the local landowners and farmers are delighted at the prospect.

The places that have had reports that would warrent following up are Exmoor, Mid Wales and ? (supply your own fave sighting reports)

[swkieran]

theres a guy on exmoor who keeps wolves,cant think of his name,and he eats,drinks and sleeps with them lol :),

[jus_young]

theres a guy on exmoor who keeps wolves,cant think of his name,and he eats,drinks and sleeps with them lol :),

They are kept at Combe Martin Wildlife Park. The blokes name is Shaun Ellis. He hasn't done too badly out of his antics though, I believe he has had quite a few tv appearances and a program made about the subject.

[Ashley Cawley]

This "big cat" business has been dripping on for years. You would have thought that by now some little Oink would have wrapped his Corsa around one as the UK is not a very big place....ahar! That's where your wrong; that's a common misconception - that none have ever been found or killed, the authorities do know about big-cats in the UK but keep it quiet as to not raise alarm, read a couple of blog enteries I made back in August....

- http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/wildlife/uk-big-cats-local-sightings-in-cornwall.html - There's a list of big-cat fatalities in the UK on this page.

- http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/wildlife/tracking-uk-big-cats-in-cornwall.html

[happybonzo]

Excellent post - many thanks. I did know about the Hayling Island one

[Ashley Cawley]

Big Cat Britain: Part 1


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIEwY64iKNw

Big Cat Britain: Part 2


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wUFxSUz0lk

[Ashley Cawley]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGgVnIpLrcs

[jus_young]

They are kept at Combe Martin Wildlife Park. The blokes name is Shaun Ellis. He hasn't done too badly out of his antics though, I believe he has had quite a few tv appearances and a program made about the subject.

Talk of the devil, he is currently howling with the wolves on Discovery Channel now spooky

[Metal mug]

Thanks for the videos Ashley, I saw that programme ages ago but I couldn't remember what it was called. I'll always remember the film of that cat in the caravan. I wonder who those blokes with the guns were though.

[J_P]

The Lynx came out of some ones freezer apparently, when the DWA licence came into play a few was certainly released, as for living and breeding in the uk, i dont think so..

[happybonzo]

And yet there are these persistant reports from what most of us on Natural Bushcraft would term "rational" people.
A retired Train Driver that I know is convinced that he has seen a large cat in Norfolk. He is a keen Deer Stalker so is used to making judgements as to an animals size. Again, the people that I worked with in Hampshire are certain that they have seen a "large black cat" with two smaller ones. They are both University graduates and not excitable people
So it's all a bit wierd as far as I am concerned

[Metal mug]

The Lynx came out of some ones freezer apparently, It's very dangerous to store deodorant in a freezer. ;)

[Metal mug]

Maybe Lynx deodorant has been releasing big cats for years so that the public get worried. And because the public get worried they sweat more. Then they see latest Lynx advert and buy some deodorant. Then Lynx corp (or whatever they are called) use their money to buy more big cats and the horrible circle starts again. They called their deodorant "Lynx" out of irony, like all evil villians do. And so ends this implausible tale. :)

[bigzee]

Don't suppose anyones heard any reports of big cat activity in the Sleaford area have they? My kids sometimes kip on the trampoline in nice weather, and as much as my little 'un likes tree climbing, I don't fancy the idea of a leopard dragging her up one!

[J_P]

Where ever there is sufficient food to keep a big cat will be rangers, wardens, farmers or keepers. Ive seen that program and ive also seen one like it on the lochness monster and big foot, and yep according to nutters they are real too lol ;)

[Ashley Cawley]

An interesting comment was just left on the Natural Bushcraft article UK Big Cats - Local Sightings in Cornwall link: http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/wildlife/uk-big-cats-local-sightings-in-cornwall.html ...


Over near Rumford/St Issey [Cornwall, UK] we have had a calf attacked in the night, with deep scratches on both sides of the animal, a large bite of the head of the calf's tail, then a bite to the side of the neck. It has been confirmed by our local vets as a big cat attack. The night before in Tredinnick, a goat was attacked again with a major bite to the side of it's neck. I reckon someone's exotic Caracal escaped sometime. People are getting scared with Creally Park being between the two attacks.

This made me search for Caracal and I stumbled across this wonderful clip:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57qew_cglac

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Caracal001.jpg/220px-Caracal001.jpg
Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caracal

Man I wish I had more time on my hands to go hunting big-cats with my cameras! These reports of big-cats are either side of where I live, within a mile radius.

[Ashley Cawley]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dCXK6KhkTw

[Savagewolfrm]

I was out once in the woods around the Barnstaple area and came across what I believe were wolf prints these were about the same size as my feet and I am size 9, however the bizarre thing here was that there were only 2 tracks side by side not made by a four legged creature. Any ideas...?

[jus_young]

I was out once in the woods around the Barnstaple area and came across what I believe were wolf prints these were about the same size as my feet and I am size 9, however the bizarre thing here was that there were only 2 tracks side by side not made by a four legged creature. Any ideas...?

Its those night stalkers migrating from Ilfracombe. Most of the prey has been had there already so they are having to go farther afield now. Happy Bonzo knows all about them.

[happybonzo]

I was out once in the woods around the Barnstaple area and came across what I believe were wolf prints these were about the same size as my feet and I am size 9, however the bizarre thing here was that there were only 2 tracks side by side not made by a four legged creature. Any ideas...?

If you get a dog paw print in mud it seems to expand to at least twice the original paw size

More likely some one from Ilfracombe though :)

[Savagewolfrm]

There is alot of knuckle dragging in the ilfracombe area so I guess that would go with the animal tracks lol

[jus_young]

I fit in quite well then. I wondered why the wife kept telling me I needed a shave...

[innocriss]

yep i have metal mug :),looked like a panther to me i didnt really have a chance to see it properly,only way i could describe it was like a greyhound only more squat and longer and it slinked when it ran,that was like 5 years ago now and it was out south brent way,it was one of those moments you wish you a had a camera on you lol.im not the only one to see them out that way,i do beleive there are big cats out on the moor and surronding countryside :),i think theyve been bought over illegally and got to much and people have released them,good luck in youre quest m8:)

cool

[Pryderi]

There is a good page http://www.bear-tracker.com/caninevsfeline.html on the difference between cat and dog tracks.

[jus_young]

Here is the latest sighting

http://www.itn.co.uk/home/38629/Big+Cat+found+near+Stroud

[Metal mug]

Ha ha. After seeing that I want to buy some dishwasher tablets. :D

Interesting footage, It would have been nice to have somthing nearby to the cat to judge scale.

[paulthefish2009]

Not seen anything but last year i was out walking across farmland in ripely(surrey)when i stoped to take leak in the undergrowth,as i moved deeper in to the bushes there came from farther in the deepest feline growl i have ever heard. Let me tell you i zipped up and pushed on farely smartish!

[Metal mug]

Not seen anything but last year i was out walking across farmland in ripely(surrey)when i stoped to take leak in the undergrowth,as i moved deeper in to the bushes there came from farther in the deepest feline growl i have ever heard. Let me tell you i zipped up and pushed on farely smartish!

I've heard of 'cat got your toungue' but never that. :D