http://www.britishbigcats.org/french.htm
A French Ethnozoologist at the BBCS' headquarters.
David Ferreira Koch
In France, I am engaged in a PhD of Ethnozoology. More precisely, I study the relationship between man and the Lynx. To speak clearly, I am interested in the social effect of the presence of the Lynx. My researches take place in France (Alsace-Lorraine), in Canada (Quebec) and in Romania (Transylvania).
When I was told, in march 2003, of the existence of the British Big Cat Society (BBCS), I immediately get in touch with Danny Bamping, the founder and media relations of the BBCS. I wanted to know who they were? What they exactly did? And last but not least, what kind of Big Cats' species they could enjoy in Great Britain?
From France, such a news seemed to me totally incredible and, to tell the truth, a bit unbelievable: how a country that officially does not reintroduce any Big Cat species can produce more than one thousand sightings of Big cat per year on its territory.
In fact, I did not know anything about "the Dangerous Wild Animals Act" (1976) and what it was supposed to control: the increasing number of Big Cats kept by private individuals in U.K.
Thanks to Danny Bamping, I spent 6 weeks in Plymouth watching every footage, every TV program concerning with Big Cats, reading every article, book and report about the presence of these animals in U.K.
I met Chris Moiser, the scientific and historical officer of the BBCS, and, several times, Danny Bamping to talk with them about the plausible presence of Big Cats in their country.
After all said and done, I must confess that I cannot write that some Big Cat population are really living and spreading around the moors and the forests of Great Britain.
By the moment, we get so many sightings and, at the same time, so few strong evidences of their presence that we can just admit: it is possible that some Big Cats can be seen around U.K., regarding its recent past, but we cannot speak about population of Big Cats spreading around U.K. yet.
One thing is certain: all the sightings done by the inhabitants concern animals relapsed secretly. Then the big question is: when these animals have been relapsed? In fact, there is not so many hypotheses.
They could be relapsed at the end of the seventies just after the Dangerous Wild Animals Act was introduced (and there is no doubt that some Big Cats were relapsed but How many?). Since it is, we can think that some of them bred and spread wherever it was possible. The recent sightings cannot concern these first relapsed animals because, regarding their biology, they are dead now! So, could it be their descendants?
It is also probable that they could be relapsed by this time and not to be enough numerous to breed and spread around the Great Britain. Then, the recent sightings could concern recent relapsed big Cats?
May be, it could be both: a mix of breeding population and recent relapsed animals? How could we be certain of anything without strong and regular evidences?
Obviously, we can notice that there are more and more sightings of Big Cats these two last years. What can we deduct from this fact? People see more and more Big Cats in U.K.? Or, perhaps, they do not see so much more but they know now how to convey their sightings thanks to the BBCS' efforts with the media?
But, we can also think that more people just believed that they possibly have seen Big Cats since the BBCS is known and seen in the media by them? The truth is that sightings cannot be enough to prove anything, above all to convince sceptical persons!
Obviously, the more numerous the sightings are, the less time we are given to collect regularly strong evidences of the presence of Big Cats, because everyone is normally waiting for an immediate issue of this business: they want to know right now what it happens!
So, a big effort must be done to collect unequivocal photos and videos, numerous paw-prints, trapped animals, killed or injured preys and even dead Big Cats. And regularly!
I imagine it is the price to convince people and administration that it is possible that populations of Big Cats breed in Great Britain.
It is surely a big challenge because we all know that these animals are particularly elusive but it could be so a great satisfaction at the end that I think it is worth doing it.
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http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/XJ&sdn=pa...teid%3D 50061
Big cat on the prowl?
Mar 6 2003
By Tim Seamans, Ormskirk Advertiser
THERE is new evidence to suggest a panther-like creature could be roaming the West Lancashire countryside.
Last week's report in the Advertiser about a sighting of a five-foot long beast off Coe Lane in Tarleton prompted reader Gordon Singleton to come forward about a similar close encounter in Burscough.
It happened around seven weeks ago when he was returning home from work at around 4.30am and he had an unforgettable experience.
Mr Singleton, an HGV driver, explained: "As I turned up Martin Lane it just leapt out of the field, dashed straight in front of me and looked right at the lights.
"It was jet black and had a long tail. Its body was a similar size to a labrador's but slimmer - it looked just like the picture in the Advertiser."
For several weeks he kept the details of the incident between himself and a small number of friends and family members, but admitted: "I couldn't stop thinking about it.
"I came home and told the wife, and later told a few other people, but until I saw the article I didn't think about going any further.
"Every time I turn down Martin Lane now I hope to see it again, but I suppose I never will."
There were more than 1,000 reported "alien big cat" sightings in Britain last year, and the British Big Cat Society describes the Preston and Bolton areas as being particular hotspots.
The Fortean Times says there has also been a steady flow of sightings in the Ainsdale sand dunes over the last decade.
However, one West Lancs ranger said he remained sceptical: "Scientifically for a big cat to sustain its own life it would need prey species.
"If they existed in our countryside we would find carcasses of sheep and perhaps the odd cow with specific prey patterns."
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http://www.bigcats.org/abc/why/newsuspect.html
The Scottish "Big Cat"
A Possible New Suspect
Ben Willis, President of Scottish Big Cats, explains his controvertial theory concerning a possible new candidate for "big cat" sightings in the UK
Since I became interested in the mysterious big cats of the UK, I have found that the true researchers have no doubts that the cats exist. The question is, what are the kinds of big cats that are being reported as being black, tan, and sometime with vague stripes or spots.
Most of the sightings are cats described the size of German Shepherd dogs. Whether the sighting is of a tan or black animal, its almost always described as being cat-like in its movement. What I always found curious, was the fact that both the leopard and cougar appear much larger than a German Shepherd whenever they are moving. Their long extended bodies give them the appearance of a massive animal, especially at a distance. In the case of the cougar, the normal stride is much more dog-like than any cat, the same can be seen in all species of lynx. Since a great number of sightings are of large black cats, the most likely candidate would be the leopard. With their fluid movement, they appear very cat-like, and melanistic leopards are common, especially in captivity.
If the opinion is narrowed down to either the cougar (puma) or leopard as the suspect, there are a few problems in electing either one. Its very unlikely that any cougars or similar sub-species ever existed in Great Britain. Since this seems to discount the possibility of an undiscovered indigenous cat, the alternative is that a number were released during the 1976 Dangerous Animals Act.
It may be possible that a few released cougars were able to roam the British Countryside for a brief period, but I believe the possibility of a thriving colony to be unlikely. Cougars which have been bred in captivity are known to become extremely dependent on humans. The few I have known to have escaped were easily captured as they will only roam a short distance away. They also will retain their tameness which should cause them to be less elusive than necessary for a wild existence. Felicity the puma was a very good example.
If the UK cats are believed to be leopards, there are a few problems with this cat as well. Assuming there is a breeding population, it would seem there would be more sightings of the obvious and more common spotted versions. In the melanistic cats, the rosettes are still noticeable in sunlight, however I recall no observers having reported that. Leopards also have an unmistakable roar, even in remote regions these roars should be heard more often.
When the Kellas cats were discovered, they seemed to be the one feline which were larger than domestics, smaller than the big cats, and had a black coat. They were still too small however, so someone mentioned the possibility of a King Kellas. If they do exist, they lack the reported long flowing tails, and they wouldn't be tan or spotted.
The Jungle Cat was suggested as a possible cross with domestics or wildcats, causing a larger black cat. Even then, such a hybrid would more likely too small in posing any threat to livestock. The Jungle cat also is equipped with short canines, more designed for rodents than any sort of large prey.
So, if there is to be a single species of feline, or a hybrid, it must fit somewhere between all the others. It must be an intermediate between the wildcat and Cougar. It must be both melanistic, tan, and occasionally bear stripes or spots. It would be the color of a cougar except for the melanistic versions which would be solid black without rosettes. It would have to have a long flowing tail and move unlike a lynx or cougar. It must also be big enough and powerful enough to prey on livestock. After searching through my small library of feline books, I had concluded that there was no such cat, until recently. There is one which would fit all these categories and may very well have found its way to Great Britain.
The cat is the Temmink's Cat, which is believed to be a sub-species of Golden Cat. Presently endangered, the cat lives in Southeastern China and is considerably larger than the Golden cat. Specimens have been measured at 35 inches in length with a tail measuring 31. Compared to the leopard, at 44 inches with a tail of 34, this makes the two animals comparable in size.
Certain specimens of the Temmink's cat have been reported as larger, however. Most interesting is the fact that these animals are sometimes solid tan, sometime spotted, and occasionally have faint stripes. Both the Golden Cat and Temmink's cat have been reported as melanistic. Sheep, deer, and infant water-buffalo are prey for these cats, as well as small prey. In their photographs, the Temmink's cat appears to be a down-sized version of the American cougar, with the long powerful tail and an almost identical head.
The few Temminks Cats which were kept in captivity also proved to be exceptionally tamable. One such cat was housed in the London zoo.
Whether any significant number of these cats were ever imported to Britain is unknown, but I believe there is much evidence in the UK sightings as well as the similarities to the Kellas cats.
Ben Willis.
I think there is too much imagination and fear taking over peoples better judgement.
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