Hello from a well known animal artist and conservation lobbyist

[JennyS]

Hello CurreHound, welcome to WAB and some good points you've raised, specially in your earlier posts.
On the later posts re: big cats do you know if there are sightings reported in Ireland or is their release/breeding a UK phenomenon?

[CurreHound]

Good question. I would ask some of my irish country friends but they have a nasty habit of putting you on the wrong horse or not telling you when something is off (trying to win).
I haven't heard much. But I didn't when Sublimity won the champion Hurdle in March either.

I will get back to you on that they will all be over in a couple of weeks for Cheltenham Open Meeting.

I heard of one sighting in Antrim.
Another story from a midnight steeplchase back in the 80's.

But I found this about Ireland:

Irish Big Cats

[C C]

Originally Posted by CurreHound

Yes e's always go first on keyboards! I have an old recycled computer. Apologies! Also I have major issues with spellcheckers because words like hedgehog are never in them! So I boycott them!

It isn't a theory re the cats. And what is more the authorities are covering it up, and even taking them out when reported. So we don't report it.

A Hunt a few years ago on the quantox had a Lynx up a tree and it took a long time to pull the hounds off. The lynx made a bit of a mess of them.They will also attack dogs. The Lynx was let be.

I have seen large black cats often. They spook the horses when in the forest.

this is near us and no surprise:
BBC News | WALES | Hunt still on for 'panther' attacker

But when I had my first sighting I rang up the Council and forestry and realised their intentions were hostile. Mind, at first they said "don't be daft...they can't be there.. what would they eat?" When I told them about the wild goats and red deer they also didn't believe me. There is a lot more there than people think. If you are on a horse, you can get quite close to wildlife: ride among deer etc. see a lot more. They are not scared of humans when you are on a horse. Horses can sweat a lot when there is a big cat about though they...and in fact you...can smell them.

A report that police had darted two juvenile Black Leopards in Newport for example was later denied; but peopl esaw it happen, and they don't think they were darted.

how they are there I do not know.
I would imagine people who had them as pets or circus handlers could not bear to kill them when it was banned so released them in forest.

They are most likely released pets. I was suprised to know how many are still in private ownership Wildlife Extra - Endangered big cats kept in UK private collections
I have always been interested in Big Cats in Britain. I am not saying how many i have seen, always get strange looks off people when i tell them

And welcome to Wab

P.S if link don't work, could someone put it right please

[The Woodman]

Looked at the Irish Big Cat link and under the item "Big Cats Roam NI Countryside" the USPCA believe that "pumps" roam the countryside. Pimps I can believe.

I've sat at this keyboard in stitches with my mind working overtime ........good one Currehound

Yes, I know it was a typo, and not a deliberate misteak

[CurreHound]

The best I ever saw was a teacher produced worksheet on the net for kids in which "Count" was spelt with one less vowel.

[ChristinaMarieUK]

Welcome to the forum!

[clover green]

Hi CurreHound, what an intro, so interesting! You have a refreshing point of view, I look forward to reading more of your posts.
Welcome to WAB.

[CurreHound]

Thankyou!
Last time I found a four leaf clover, I won 4800 quid at Cheltenham for a 12 quid bet. No doubt another lot of nonsense country superstition but if ya find one can you let me have it please?

[JP]

Hello