Remember our previous heated thread?
One or two new stories around at the moment:
This one is older
One or two new stories around at the moment:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/3146742.stmHumberside Police have confirmed they believe big cats are living wild in their area.
The force's wildlife officer Sue Rhodes tells the BBC's Inside Out programme that she believes two big cats, probably black leopards or puma are on the loose.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3081132.stmIt is understood police had mounted a secret stakeout in the Benvarden Road area over a number of days where they believed the animal would appear.
They were delighted when night vision equipment subsequently located the cat.
However, just before the animal moved into a clearing designated as the focal point for the operation, a car with three people on board - who had been trying to take pictures of the cat - drove into the field.
When they got out the animal was frightened.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/3186521.stmA vet is convinced that horrific wounds inflicted on a pony in Devon were caused by a big cat.
Three-year-old palomino Mischief was left scarred for life after an attack in a field in the South Brent area a week ago...
...Several years ago the area was sealed off and police marksmen were called in to track down what was believed to be a lion which was roaming the area, but no animal was found.
Local vet Steve Grills, who treated Mischief's injuries, said he was convinced the injuries "were the work of a puma or other large cat".
"Basically the reason for this is the number of scratch marks on the animal's back legs reaching quite high.
"It's not something you'd expect a smaller animal to have done.
A man out for a stroll near his home has filmed what experts say is the most conclusive evidence that big cats exist in the wild in Cornwall. (read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/3144865.stm)
This one is older
http://www.britishbigcats.org/welshnews2.htmPolice marksmen who saw the animal are also convinced it was a big cat, and farm worker Mike Sheppard insists he knows what he saw when he came across the animal standing over the dog's corpse.
"It was a big cat. It hissed at me and stood its ground," he said.
The American trackers back local people unequivocally.
"We can state without reservation that there is at least one mountain lion and one black panther, probably a melanistic leopard in the Rhydcmerau/Brechfa region," said Mr Brown, who visited Carmarthen-shire late last year.
The trackers were called in after numerous sightings and the deaths of sheep and a Shiatzu dog.
They found cat tracks in several locations as well as areas where cats had lain in hiding preparing for an attack.
"It is our belief that the forest in the area provides the cover and escape routes they need to maintain their relative secrecy, and that the sheep in the area provide an unlimited source of food," said Mr Brown.
"There have been several human/ cat interactions that would lead us to believe that the cats are slowly loosing their fear of humans and it is likely that there will be a deadly encounter between humans and the cats in the near future."
Mr Brown has been involved in hundreds of tracking cases, including locating lost hunters and hikers, tracking and pursuit of fugitives, and tracking escaped animals.
He is the author of 16 books on tracking and wilderness themes.
His Survival School in New Jersey has trained more than 25,000 people in the arts of tracking.
Mr Brown's report has been sent to the National Assembly. spokeswoman.
The Western Mail: 31st January, 2003.
