Sightings of big cats rise amid signs of breeding

Published on Thursday 16 March 2006 01:53

THE number of big cats roaming the countryside could be increasing, according to a report out yesterday.

The British Big Cats Society (BBCS) survey reveals that 2,123 sightings of big cats were reported between April 2004 and July last year.

The south-west of England once again proved a hot spot for sightings, with Devon, Cornwall and Somerset all featuring in the top ten big cat locations.

Scotland dropped to third, with an almost 50 per cent fall in sightings reported and was replaced at the top by Devon.

Wales was fourth on the list, with 123 reported sightings and incidents.

Almost 60 per cent of all the sightings reported were of black cats, and 32 per cent were of brown or sandy-coloured ones, which the BBCS believes to be pumas. Another 6 per cent were lynx-type cats.

New evidence includes a skull found by a Devon farmer in July 2005 that has now been identified as that of a puma, three reported attacks on horses, more than 35 incidents regarding sheep kills, several confirmed paw prints of which plaster casts were taken and 17 reports of a big cat with cubs - an increasing trend, which suggests that the animals may be breeding.

During the study more than half a dozen hair samples, now awaiting analysis, were also collected.

The BBCS has gathered evidence of at least 23 releases of big cats into the wild since the Dangerous Animals Act was passed in 1976, including a panther, pumas, lynx and a host of exotic animals including caracals, ocelots and jungle cats.

Keen to expose "evidence" that is not genuine, the BBCS also revealed that it has in the past year uncovered several hoaxes, including a photo of a supposed black panther, printed by two tabloid papers last April, which turned out to be a cuddly toy.