For those interested in Big Cat sightings...

[Dogs]

I KNOW these things exist

But how the hell do they keep so hidden????

And why havent we had a confirmed body found or shot????

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by Dogs

I KNOW these things exist

But how the hell do they keep so hidden????

And why havent we had a confirmed body found or shot????

Bodies have been found, but they've just not been widely reported. It doesn't help that most scientists wont touch research into big cats in the UK for fear of ridicule and possibly the loss of funding/job/position

[fairplay]

A big cat isn't going to hang around a Kentucky Fried Chicken like a fox would for food, it will head off into the deep country side which is where I found 'my' big cat over 15 years ago (so I accept and know they do exist in Britain)

What I cannot accept is the amount of unconfirmed sightings on that map, the majority which seem to be centred around major towns and cities. You may as well have produced a map of 'angel' sightings and it probably would not look much different.

OK, I accept a lot will have escaped from illegal private collections, so therefore will be used to humans, but having been kept in captivity by humans, surely it's natural instinct will be to keep as far away as possible, yet looking carefully at the map the big open country has far fewer sightings compared to the high population areas around Birmingham.

Neil.

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by fairplay

OK, I accept a lot will have escaped from illegal private collections, so therefore will be used to humans, but having been kept in captivity by humans, surely it's natural instinct will be to keep as far away as possible ..
Neil.

We don't have any indigenous 'Big Cats' in the UK, Neil, so all would be feral and have derived originally from private collections. Why 'illegal'? Many of these were kept legally but turfed out illegally with the introduction of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, which brought with it burdensome licensing with costs of up to £700 for a Local Authority Licence. However, sightings stem back to the 1,800s, also probably as a result of escaped pets. As for your suggestion that 'natural instinct' would keep escaped pets away from humans, on the contrary, usually escaped exotics, whether they be birds or animals, are even more inclined to linger round human activity than wild animals/birds. With birds, often one of the casual litmus tests of it's 'wild' credentials, is the fact it was seen feeding, eg, with the local ducks on the bread being chucked into the pond, or in a garden on a bird feeder.

Many of the 'big cat' sightings are in urban areas, we've had many reputed sightings in Sussex over the years, although none substantiated (as none have been substantiated in rural areas either)

New big cat sighting in Sussex (From The Argus)

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Dogs

But how the hell do they keep so hidden????

They hide in the same places as the escaped giraffes!
;^)

How is it that in big cats' native habitats naturalists observe and photograph them, even great rarities like the snow leopard, yet over here they are as elusive a the will-o'-the-wisp? I would suspect that in America the population density of the cougar is much lower than that of big cats over here, as shown by the map, and yet there's plenty of photo's, film and authenticated encounters with them there.

Jim

[Dogs]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

They hide in the same places as the escaped giraffes!
;^)

How is it that in big cats' native habitats naturalists observe and photograph them, even great rarities like the snow leopard, yet over here they are as elusive a the will-o'-the-wisp? I would suspect that in America the population density of the cougar is much lower than that of big cats over here, as shown by the map, and yet there's plenty of photo's, film and authenticated encounters with them there.

Jim

It baffles me as well! And the confirmed bodies have not been the big black cats, but other stuff like lynx, jungle cats and recently escaped zoo animals.... if im wrong please enlighten me, and post the relevant pics or articles, i'd love to see actual proof of these mysterious beasts. Not that I need proof, but like has been said in the above post, these things are like will-o-the-wisp!!!! And I honestly cant belive they have gone this long without being properly documented.
Perhaps they are slowly dying out? And the last survivours of various species are wandering the island? If they are breeding, then surely someone would have stumbled upon nieve youngsters while out and about? But noooo... they remain the one animal on this island that we know nothing about!
Anyway, what the hell are they?? I mean, what species? Im talking about the black things... most genuine sightings will tend to agree that they are a stocky, low profile cat, maybe as tall as a labrador, but longer, thick legged, and a long tail that curves up at the end. To me they sound like a black leopard or jaguar, and these types of cat were certainly some of the most popular of the larger cats to be found in private collections. But if they are this type of cat, surely there would be many cases of prey animals found by keepers, rangers, stalkers and farmers... but there arent, and that will remain a mystery.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Dogs

Anyway, what the hell are they?? I mean, what species? Im talking about the black things... most genuine sightings will tend to agree that they are a stocky, low profile cat, maybe as tall as a labrador, but longer, thick legged, and a long tail that curves up at the end. To me they sound like a black leopard or jaguar

If 'they' are jaguars or leopards then people would be getting killed by them!

There are so many 'sightings' that anyone with a DSLR ought to be able to spend a few weekends in some of the hot spots and be reasonably sure of getting some good, verifiable images.

Jim

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by diggleken

yeah, cheers flywaver, interesting stuff.
Some of these will be spurious, some misid'd, but some will be genuine - the ones at dobcross and wessenden moor, near me, seem so and they tie in with a sighting I know of.
In the countryside centre, a chap talked to me about a big black cat that scared the s... out of his dog - the dog knew it was there before it was spotted and ran home out of control. Very plausible detail -that sort of experience just calls the doubters into question I think.
Elements of realistic needed yes, but also a few quite likelies, so keep a look out.
Cheers
Ken

There have alleged sightings on Saddleworth Moor since the early 1980s as I recall, on the 'Grenfilt' side especially. I've tramped across there many times and seen nowt as yet. But one lives in hope.

Regards, Chris

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by ChrisJB

There have alleged sightings on Saddleworth Moor since the early 1980s as I recall, on the 'Grenfilt' side especially.

Almost 30 years and no hard evidence - hmm!

So if we can drum up a group of WAB photographers to stake out the Glenfilt side of Saddleworth Moor for a few weekends we should crack it, putting WAB on the front pages of the National daylies!

Jim

[Flywaver]

I remember as a lad my parents telling me of a house on the edge of Little Hallingbury where there were two Lions kept in a Cage. I dont remember seeing them but this was in the 70s when i guess the laws had come in.
I guess the Lions were handed to a Zoo. Who knows...
What baffles me is people that are finding the Sightings hard to believe.
Its hardly Nessie now is it! Cats are incredibly good at getting so low in vegatation. I would guess the population here must be between 50 - 100 depending on Territory and also to keep an species from being extinct it needs to have the right amount. Cubs have been spotted with females.