Police receive 140 big-cat sightings

Members of the public have seen large puma-like animals, orange eyes glaring out of bushes, and even farm animals being carried off by big cats.

However, none of the police investigations into the sightings has produced evidence of the existence of big cats in the wild in Scotland.

A Freedom of Information request revealed there had been 138 reports to Scotland’s eight police forces between 2007 and 2011.

In one incident, recorded by Grampian Police in May last year, teachers and pupils at Glenlivet Primary in Ballindalloch reported seeing an animal “larger than a labrador, curled tail, big lump of muscles between its shoulder blades”.

Other forces have received reports of large, cat-like pawprints and injured livestock, while one received a report from a man who claimed to have injured one of the big cats.

Strathclyde Police recorded the largest number of big cat sightings, with 69 reports over the five-year period. One of its more unusual reports, from 2008-9, described a man who had “cut arms from either puma or poltergeist”.

Tayside Police had 18 sightings on record, but warned this number could fall short, as reports could have been filed elsewhere in their system.

Officers in Central Scotland recorded five sightings, while Lothian and Borders Police had just one.

Northern Constabulary said it had regular reports of “large, puma-like cats” throughout the Highlands, usually passing in front of vehicles.

A farmer working at Pitglassy farm, Moray, reported a “cougar-type animal seen through binoculars. Suspect it may have killed a few sheep over time”.

In one incident, in Dumfries and Galloway, a report of injured livestock read: “One sheep was examined by an inspector from the SSPCA, who found the injuries to be unusual and not consistent with an attack from a dog. An attack from wild boar or a large cat could be possibilities.”

In another, on the A75 near Twynholm, someone reported seeing “large orange eyes on the roadside”.

However, in another incident in Dumfries, after a caller reported pawprints that he believed may have been those of a big cat, the police report said: “Area checked and prints found to be, without doubt, those of a dog.”

Fife Police refused to respond to the FOI request but said the force got an average of about six reports a year.

Mark Fraser, founder of Big Cats in Britain, said the police figures underestimated the actual number of sightings across Scotland.

He said: “The numbers are actually quite low compared to the number of sightings. People don’t always think to contact the police in these situations and many more will call agencies like ours, as well as animal charities.

“Ninety per cent of reports we receive are of large black cats, most likely melanistic leopards or jaguars.

“These big cats could be animals that have escaped or been released by their owners. Sometimes people are very worried when they report the incidents to us. Our main problem is that we should have more actual evidence, but unfortunately at this time we haven’t.”

Scottish SPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn said: “We have, over the years, received inquiries from members of the public regarding big cats, but there is very limited evidence that big cats do exist in Scotland.

“We are not aware of any member of the public being approached or attacked by a big cat and we have never directly witnessed or been involved in any incidents involving big cats.”