Big Cats Living As Wild In The Uk

[fairplay]

Originally Posted by PMG

I'll have a glass of what you're drinking Neil ...........

Adnams Best Bitter Pauline.

Neil.

[PMG]

Originally Posted by Jez

Don't you worry Pauline, I was a lion tamer in my previous life!

Ahh but does it work with big black panthers .........

[PMG]

Originally Posted by fairplay

Adnams Best Bitter Pauline.

Neil.

In that case I can't ....... I was hoping you would say Ovaltine or Vimto

[PMG]

Originally Posted by The Woodman

Can anyone identify this skull I found yesterday from a well rotted road casualty as a big cat?

[url=http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/archive/showphoto.php?photo=122614][/url

No but I could identify it as a 'little' cat! at 4 inches ........... now is that someones well loved tom or tabitha ....... or is it/was it a wildcat? Depends where you found it and what else came with it ...........

I must admit the size of the orbits made me goggle a bit - ooh grandma what big eyes you've got ..........

Pauline

[fairplay]

Originally Posted by The Woodman

Can anyone identify this skull I found yesterday from a well rotted road casualty as a big cat?

[url=http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/archive/showphoto.php?photo=122614][/url

At a very rough guess, either Lynx or more probably large Wild Cat.

Neil.

[fairplay]

Now that I've had time to consult a book, I shall down-grade my earlier guess to that of domestic cat.
It was the impact of the close up which made it look much bigger.

Neil.

[Farplace]

There have been sightings of a big black cat in my area - Weardale, Co Durham. I have seen one myself. It walked through a flock of sheep. The sheep carried on grazing, and hardly seemed to notice it. However, because it was amongst the sheep, I could get a good idea of the scale. It's body was as long as the sheep. It's tail was about as long again. Height-wise, it was up to the shoulders of the sheep. It was either dark brown or black. The sun was shining on it's coat, making it shine like liquid satin. It jumped over a dry stone wall and I lost sight of it. unforgetable!

[fairplay]

Originally Posted by Farplace

There have been sightings of a big black cat in my area - Weardale, Co Durham. I have seen one myself. It walked through a flock of sheep. The sheep carried on grazing, and hardly seemed to notice it. However, because it was amongst the sheep, I could get a good idea of the scale. It's body was as long as the sheep. It's tail was about as long again. Height-wise, it was up to the shoulders of the sheep. It was either dark brown or black. The sun was shining on it's coat, making it shine like liquid satin. It jumped over a dry stone wall and I lost sight of it. unforgetable!

If it was as long as the sheep and they were unconcerned, it could only have been the farmers sheep dog or else an optical illusion only visible to humans.

Neil.

[danthekeeper]

Originally Posted by darrenm

I have also seen two seperate sets of large pug marks in two areas of the UK, which must have come from living animals. They were not dogs and were rounded with no claw marks showing. What left them is open to speculation but something did.

My dogs are kenneled with large concrete runs because of the concrete their claws/nails are very short when they run through mud the prints appear very large, rounded and with no nails,I'm not dismissing your post just giving one possible explanation for pug marks found.

On 2 occasions when living near Otmoor (Oxford) I had experiences which had no real explanation the first I was walking my employers dogs at night in the lamp I saw a pair of very large eyes bigger than any animal I have seen in the torch before or since when I called the dogs they where gone and when I found them they where cowering near the back door of the big house.
The second I stalked and shot a muntjac grallochad it and left it hanging from a tree about 4 feet in the air the rope was 1/2 inch poly I returned for it with the quad some hour later to find the rope snapped not cut and the carcass gone.

I can offer no explanation for either experience but there have been regular sightings of large cats on Otmoor.
Who knows I guess the truth is out there

[Farplace]

Originally Posted by fairplay

If it was as long as the sheep and they were unconcerned, it could only have been the farmers sheep dog or else an optical illusion only visible to humans.

Neil.

It was much bigger than a border collie, and it was feline. An unaccompanied dog amongst the flock would have caused panic. I think the sheep were unconcerned about this cat because it was not hunting.
I have spoken to the local police wildlife liasion officer who confirmed there are puma and lynx breeding in the area. He claims to know who released them, several years ago.
I have asked neighbours and seveal people confirm reports of big cat sightings and one family claim to have heard snarling noises in a local quarry. Optical illusions do not snarl.