Alien Big Cats ('ABCs')

[ramonmercado]

'Loose lion' turns out to be dog

Callers reported seeing a lion in north Belfast
A police operation launched following reports that a lion was loose in north Belfast has been called off after the animal turned out to be a stray dog.

A police helicopter had been used to search the area on Sunday night after officers received a number of reports.

Witnesses had said they had seen a sandy-coloured lion or large non-domestic animal in the Upper Hightown end of Cavehill Park.

Belfast Zoo had earlier confirmed that all of its animals were accounted for.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/nort ... 591210.stm

 

[McAvennie]

My mum had a text from my uncle this morning. He works for the council in Aberdeenshire and drives around a lot of the highland areas. The text said that this morning just outside Tarland he had seen "a big cat, jet black and about the size of a labrador with a long tail".

My uncle isn't really a Fortean so doubt he will report it to anybody other than family/friends.

 

[dunkthepunk]

i was very sceptical for many years about big cats prowling the uk,i am a very keen angler who spends a lot of time outside in remote places [for the uk] often camping for several days and usually quiet,i have had foxes,badgers and deer come right up to me on many occasions but had never seen any signs of big cats.
my angling adventures have taken me all over the world,so i have seen big cats in africa,asia and south america so i do know what they look like and how they move.
my opinions had to be revised while visiting a friend who was fishing a stretch of the great ouse in cambridgeshire,3 of us stood outside his tent and watched a big cat for at least 15 mins,although the animal was at least 400m away on the far side of the river and up wind it moved along a fence,the posts we later paced out at 10m apart,the animal filled a 1/4 of the distance between posts
the animal went under the fence several times,arching its back in a very feline way,not like a dog in any way.it was completly black,no markings of any sort we could see.
i have not seen the like since but i now never go to the river without my camera

 

[taras]

My mum had a text from my uncle this morning. He works for the council in Aberdeenshire and drives around a lot of the highland areas. The text said that this morning just outside Tarland he had seen "a big cat, jet black and about the size of a labrador with a long tail".

Interesting, there's been reports before (2005) of the same - almost 3 years to the day: http://www.scottishbigcats.co.uk/scotnews140.htm

 

[staticgirl]

Beast of Galloway sighted again

Who will be the first to capture a sight like this in Galloway?

Published Date: 03 November 2008

SEVERAL people have come forward with stories of the Beast of Galloway since The Gazette reported a sighting last week.

The large black cat was witnessed by a driver and his passengers near Carsluith on the A75 last week and was described as having large green eyes and being the size of a labrador.

And Graham Forsyth who used to live at McGregor Drive in Minnigaff told us that he and a friend spotted something unusual in Galloway Forest Park recently.

Having moved away from the area after 23 years, Graham was visiting in October and the pal took a drive to the deer park.

He said: "It was a horrible day weather wise, so not many people braved the cold damp weather to catch a glimpse of the deer but we hardy soles ventured on.

"We got there and saw two stags, then about 100 yards to their right we spotted something moving towards them. At first we took it to be a fox but watching it move it moved much like a big cat, it was black in colour and about three feet in length."

Graham and his friend were unsure what they had seen and carried on watching.

He added: "We couldn't believe what we were seeing. The stags became aware of it and bolted round the back of a hill, the creature went round the other side of the hill to meet the stags head on, both of which became out of sight.

"We waited around for a while to hopefully catch another glimpse of the creature but it was to no avail. I emailed the forestry commission and they told me it was a fox, I know it was not a fox as I have seen enough foxes in my time to know the difference."

Elma Walker in Minnigaff contaced us to say that she and her husband had spotted a black cat in their garden on the day The Gazette came out.
She said: "I was looked up in the garden and saw it settle itself between the trees. This was before I'd even read the paper and knew there had been other sightings.

"It was a long animal with a really long tail and shorter legs. I thought, 'what kind of animal is this?' And my husband saw it too so I went to get the camera and as I did, it just stood up and walked off ever so gracefully so I didn't get a chance to photograph it.

"My husband said it was a coincidence because of what was in the paper so I read it after that. I just don't know what sort of animal it was."

Elma said it was all black and was about as long as an alsatian dog but not as tall.

Some suggestions have been made that the animals could be black foxes or pine martins but recent reports of sheep being mauled in several locations around the area have been described as being caused by something larger than a fox, according to one farmer.

There were 226 reported sightings of unexlpained cat-like animals in Scotland between 2003-2004.

http://www.gallowaygazette.co.uk/news/Beast-of-Galloway-sighted-again.4655102.jp

The pic looks like a normal wee black cat to me but there you are....

 

[ramonmercado]

Woman injured in 'big cat' attack
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/u ... 791419.stm

An elderly woman has reported being attacked by a large cat in the Highlands.

Pat MacLeod, 74, from Ardross Road in Alness, told police she was injured by a 3ft-long cat while putting out her bins earlier this week.

Mrs MacLeod, who suffered deep cuts to her legs and cuts and scratches on her hands, needed stitches in hospital.

Police and Scottish Natural Heritage are trying to trace the cat, which has been described as grey coloured.

Mrs MacLeod said it was the second time she had been attacked by a cat outside her home and on this occasion the animal sprang at her as soon as she made eye contact.

'Shockingly strong'

She said the "shockingly strong" cat managed to drag her some distance and expressed concern about what might happen if a child encountered the animal.

Northern Constabulary said an unprovoked attack would be very uncharacteristic of a Scottish wildcat and suggested that the animal may be a hybrid of a domestic and feral cat.

A force spokesman said there had previously been sightings of big cats in the area, but no reports of attacks.

Police have advised anyone who sees a "unusually large" cat not to approach it or feed it.

Story from BBC NEWS:

 

[reversereverb]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24846459-1242,00.html

Trail of Sydney's black panther leads to suburbia

MYSTERIOUS panther-like creatures, long reported to be stalking the outskirts of Sydney, could be moving towards homes.

With at least 19 sightings reported this year, big cat hunters believe they're becoming bolder as they search for food and mates, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Cryptozoologist Rex Gilroy said the elusive creatures - usually reported as fleeting sightings at night, often on lonely country roads - have been reported as far afield as Kenthurst, Lithgow, Penrith and Appin as they find migratory routes around Warragamba dam, linking breeding populations from the northwest to southwest via the Blue Mountains.

"They've become more active, males and females, in the past few weeks and months as they look to breed," Mr Gilroy said.

Although there is no hard evidence the creatures exist, residents have become so frightened that the Department of Primary Industries has commissioned a report on the cats, due early next year.

"The DPI is currently putting together a report following recent concerns from residents living in the Grose Vale area," a spokeswoman said.

"The report will look at a range of options, as well as a review of the existing evidence."

Grose Vale resident Chris Coffey, who operates a database that has recorded 330 sightings in the past decade, said she has seen a big cat the size of her 63kg rottweiler at least five times in her own backyard.

While the DPI received 19 formal reports of a "large black cat" in 2008, there had been an increasing flood of informal reports.

Mr Gilroy recently visited Burragorang Valley, where bushman Gavin Noakes found large paw prints bigger than a man's fist at 12cm to 15cm wide.

The depth of the paw print suggested a heavy creature, in line with a number of recent sightings of a panther-like creature of about 30kg with a black-to-dark brown coat.

"There's a migratory pattern in which they seem to come out of Grose Vale and penetrate out into the back of the Kenthurst scrub, moving back and forth," he said.

"Two breeding populations of about half a dozen each have developed there."

He believes they are distant relations of the extinct Thylacoleo carnifex owen, a marsupial lion that survived the Ice Age.

 

[mrpoultice]

Big cats sightings are 'reliable'

Well it would seem the Forestry Commission are convinced.

Big cats sightings are 'reliable'

Big cats have been caught on camera in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire twice in the past seven years, the Forestry Commission has confirmed.

The animals were spotted by rangers who were filming a deer survey.

Under a Freedom of Information Act request the government agency confirmed the sightings are "reliable".

Commission spokesman Stuart Burgess said the sightings had been confirmed by "very experienced" rangers unlikely to mistake deer for big cats.

'Experienced guys'

"Both were observed in low light, using heat-activated vision equipment while they were carrying out a deer census," he said.

"The colour of the animals couldn't be made out, but these are very experienced guys and they know what is and what isn't a deer.

"One definitely believed that what he saw was some sort of large cat."

The first sighting was at the outskirts of Churchill enclosure, east of Parkend, in February 2002. The second was on the southern slopes of Staple Edge in March 2005.

A survey by the British Big Cats Society showed more than 2,000 suspected big cat sightings were reported nationwide between 2004 and 2005.

Source hereBBC News

Mr P

 

[disgruntledgoth]

issued a warning when a six foot pet boa constrictor vanished from its home in Chatham.

grrrr, a 6 foot boa constrictor is not a threat, anything u p to 12 foot is generally not considered a threat, not even to childre, really, I hate it when people deomnise things like snakes...




sorry about the off topic rant

 

[stu neville]

Re: Big cats sightings are 'reliable'

Well it would seem the Forestry Commission are convinced.

Big cats sightings are 'reliable'

The Min of Ag and Fish (or what ever the hell they're called this week) are the ones that need convincing, TBH. The Forestry Commission had for years been on about whole colonies of wild boar living in the Forest of Dean, but the Ministry wouldn't have it.

As I understand it, the existence of big cats in the British countryside isn't even up for question among local folk in many areas. Often the way with officialdom vis-a-vis cryptozoology though - until someone in a lab-coat says there's a cryptid there, TPTB will refuse to entertain the notion that there's one there, regardless of what anyone else says.

 

[taras]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... 100752.ece

The Tooth Is Out There
By JOHN COLES
Published: 07 Jan 2009


FEROCIOUS big cats DO live in Britain — after being seen by Forestry Commission rangers.

The official confirmation came yesterday — proving thousands of members of the public have been right for years.

Forestry workers conducting deer surveys have TWICE got within 50 yards of the fearsome creatures in the wild, it was revealed.

Last night the commission — forced to come clean under freedom of information laws — was accused of hushing up the news to avoid panic. The Beast of Bodmin-style animals were captured on night vision gear as they prowled the Forest of Dean, Gloucs.

Rob Guest, 58, who was with colleagues during both sightings, yesterday told how the first was crossing a road near Lydney.

The deputy surveyor confessed: “It had a long thick tail and was clearly a big cat.”

The second was lurking among trees at Staple Edge. Rob said: “Again we came within about 50 metres of it.

“It’s impossible to say what it was — whether it was a puma, a lynx or what.” Rangers found no deer devoured — suggesting the mysterious animals were living off rabbits.

Similar big cats have been reported as far away as Scotland — as well as famously on Cornwall’s Bodmin Moor.

There have also been sightings in Devon, Somerset and Wales.

The British Big Cat Society founder Danny Bamping said last night: “Not only is this proof that big cats do exist in the wild but it is also evidence that Government-run organisations have been sitting on this information.”

The Department for Farming and Rural Affairs insisted the creatures were only isolated individuals and not organised, breeding groups.

 

[rynner2]

Could it be...?

Is this the Beast of Exmoor? Body of mystery animal washes up on beach
By Paul Harris
Last updated at 2:03 AM on 09th January 2009

It was the teeth that everyone noticed first.

Great fangs jutted from its huge jaw, gleaming in the afternoon sun.

Then there was the carcass. Up to 5ft long, powerful chest, and what could be the remains of a tail.

Had it been washed up on any other shore, it might simply have been dismissed as the unfortunate remains of a large dog.

But this was North Devon. And folk in these parts have learned that sightings of mystery animals are likely to mean only one thing - the Beast of Exmoor is back.

The puma-like creature has allegedly roamed the countryside here since some fleeting glimpses in the 1970s.

In 1983, it came to national attention after 100 sheep were mauled and killed. Blurred photographs and a succession of intriguing sightings followed.

At one stage the legend rivalled that of the Loch Ness Monster, striking terror into the hearts of farmers and tourists, and filling small children with dread.

Yet countless bounty hunts, safaris and expeditions - one conducted by Royal Marines - failed to pin it down.

Sheep and farm animals continued to be mysteriously slaughtered across Exmoor.

So one thing was probably on the minds of Sergeant Jeff Pearce and PC Chris Tucker when they were called to investigate a long-dead but fearsome creature washed up near Croyde Bay.

Had they finally solved the riddle of the Beast?

A woman had reported spotting the remains of a creature 'the size of a calf with canine teeth'.

She is said to have used the B-word.

The officers were duly scrambled. Once at the scene, a cursory glance revealed: Too big for a dog or domestic cat; too small for a pony. Wrong teeth for a cow. A seal? Not with those legs, it wasn't.

'It almost definitely looks like it could be a Beast of Exmoor,' said Sergeant Pearce, with admirable caution.

'It's only about five miles away to Exmoor by sea, it could easily have floated down.'

PC Tucker added: 'It's a good 5ft and it has black fur. It certainly looks quite beast-like with those teeth.'

So has the mystery been solved? Not quite. Samples sent for analysis revealed that the Beast of Croyde Bay was simply a grey seal. 8)

Decomposition meant its flippers had vanished to reveal bones that looked like they might have been limbs.

Likewise, all that time in the water had given it a menacing snarl.

And the real Beast? There hasn't been a sighting for some time now, probably a week at least.

The legend lives on.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... beach.html

As you were...

(But interesting to me, as I once lived at Croyde.)

 

[Zilch5]

Man gets plaster cast of giant cat prints found near Gympie

" A GIANT cat is stalking wildlife in rural Glenwood, north of Gympie[Queensland, Australia], and Colin Rossow says he has the proof - a plaster paw print cast.

Mr Rossow, 67, who retired to his rural acreage in Pepper Rd 16 months ago, said there was no doubt some sort of panther-size cat was living in the area, The Courier-Mail reports.

"I grew up in the bush and I know when big cats are around," he said. "I've heard this cat before. It's not a kangaroo or a dog ... it's a caterwauling and sometimes it sort of grunts and chuffs."

Mr Rossow said his suspicions were confirmed when he was using his excavator to move stumps after heavy rain last week and spotted big paw prints in the mud.

"There was still this one big print where a kangaroo had come around the corner fast and sort of half slipped and the cat had come around after it and leaned into the corner with its front right paw," he said.

"There was one, big, perfect print and I had some gyprock plaster in the shed so I got a cast of it."

The cast shows a lion-sized paw print, bigger than his fist, measuring 14.5cm long by 13cm wide with a deep pad and four toes with retractable cat-like claws.

He said that since the incident he had hardly seen any kangaroos grazing around his property.

Mr Rossow said he had also spoken to a neighbour who told of two girls who reported seeing a "big, black cat" in bush fringing the area.

The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service has a file documenting a report from a farmer at Withcott, at the bottom of the Toowoomba Range, who saw "a very large black cat" in 2003, and other reports of big cat sightings in the Toowoomba region, particularly in 1997.

Local legend also includes sightings of a black panther-like creature in the Gayndah area, northwest of Gympie. "

Source: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 86,00.html

 

[maximus otter]

I'll catch the Fen Tiger - on film

MOTION-sensitive cameras are to be used in a bid to prove - or disprove - the existence of wild big cats in the Cambridgeshire countryside once and for all.

Although many people remain sceptical about the existence of the so-called Fen Tiger, the frequency of reported sightings has snowballed recently, according to a police officer who is investigating the mystery.

Pc Paul Carter says he has been contacted by members of the public who believe they have seen big cats roaming freely 120 times in the last five months.

There has been a spate of sightings of a puma-like creature in the Melbourn area in recent weeks.

Several members of the public claim to have seen a large black cat, and weight has been added to the reports by the discovery of a muntjac deer that had been mauled from behind, plus the disappearance of several dogs.

Pc Carter, of Cambridgeshire police's rural community action team, has been informed and will be looking into the claims.

A keeper from Shepreth Wildlife Park - which has two pumas of its own - went down to the area of Melbourn where sightings have been concentrated but was unable to find tracks or trails.

Chris Knowles, another keeper at the park, is a big cat enthusiast in his spare time and plans to set up some cameras, which will be triggered by movement.

Chris, 25, from Histon, used the technology in an attempt to find big cats in Brazil and this is the first time he has used it in the UK.

He said: "I'm convinced they are out there - they have probably been released by people who kept them as pets.

"I'm not saying we're definitely going to get a photo of a big cat but it's not impossible.

"One of the reasons I got the cameras in the first place was to get to the bottom of this mystery."

Pc Carter said: "I'm sitting on the fence on the issue until we have any substantive evidence, but it would be nice to find out one way or another.

"The geography would be good for them, and there are certainly food sources, so why not?"

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_home/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=388603

maximus otter

 

[ramonmercado]

'Big cat' print found on farmland
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 885554.stm

Mr Wards says he found the print near the frightened cattle
A national big cat group has said it is confident the animals are roaming wild in Derbyshire after the discovery of a paw print on farmland.

Wirksworth farmer Peter Ward said he found the three-inch print after his cattle had been frightened last month.

Nigel Spencer, from Big Cats in Britain, said: "It could be a small puma or black leopard or even a lynx."

A Defra spokesman said: "Any sightings of exotic wild animals can be reported to Natural England or the police."

He added: "Based on evidence we do not believe there are breeding populations of big cats living in the wild in England."

Mr Spencer said his group did believe 'big cats' had previously been released into the wild and could be breeding in the area.

He said: "We've been researching these big cat sightings in the East Midlands since the early 1990s.


The farmer says cattle trampled down the gate after being spooked

"We're trying to build up a picture of how many there are and what they're doing.

"Either people are releasing these animals or they are interacting and breeding."

Mr Ward, said the print looked identical to photographs of puma paw prints he found on the internet.

"The first thing I saw was a gate flattened down where my stock had been frightened out of the yard.

"When I found them they'd gone across the road into another field... I found them in the bottom corner cowering.

"I had a walk down the lane which leads to the field and I came across this big paw print.

"I looked closely at it, I thought that's not a dog and it began to dawn on me that it must be a big cat."

 

[Timble2]

The Fen Tiger Returns

Sorry about the format, the wesite won't let me copy text. It's snowing again, perhaps there'll be more sightings...

Hunts Post

http://preview.tinyurl.com/aackvy

 

[Eponastill]

A recent clip on Iplayer - it's about 11 minutes and 50 seconds in - about ABCs in Gloucestershire.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... 8_02_2009/

 

[Scunnerlugzz]

Contin, Highlands, Scotland. 13/03/09

I was chatting to a workmate at lunchtime today when he got a call from his wife.
She had been driving along the Achilty Loch road just north of Contin when a black cat the size of a labrador crossed the road ahead of her.

When she reached the person's home that she was visiting she mentioned the sighting she was told that one of the neighbours further up the road had been going on about a big cat in the area for ages, but everyone just thought that he was havering.

I often walk my dog near there :shock:

Nothing to add to this really, just thought those interested in this might like to know of a sighting today.

 

[Ringo]

Yahoo News! this morning has footage of an ABC which has been attacking a farm in Poland in with numerous sightings by locals, filmed on a mobile phone. The local zoo has identified the animal as a Snow Leopard.

Can't link directly to it right now but it is currently the featured news video on www.yahoo.co.uk. (Thurs morning, 07.21 GMT)

 

[Blinko_Glick]

.........but everyone just thought that he was havering*.

*An old scottish word meaning to talking nonsense

Actually an ABC on the continent doesn't suprise me as much as one in the UK.

Living near Dartmoor, I am convinced there are ABCs living & thriving there.
The condtions on the Moor are very temperate for some species and after the dangerous animals act in the 70s I have no doubt that several people set their 'pets' free in the best place possible.

I've personally seen a sandy coloured ABC on Cox Tor just next to Tavistock several years ago. My Step Father has also seen a sandy coloured ABC jumping a beech hedge (around 10ft high) on the Tavistock-Chillaton road and a black ABC in some scrubland near Lifton.

Talk to the locals round here and many of them will tell you the same - "there's moggies up to dartymoor an t'idden gude, yume sez there b'ain't" or something like that anyway

 

[paulsamotis]

After having missed a ufo apparently passing over my local neighbourhood in Bristol recently, now it seems the ABC's have moved in!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/8061265.stm

 

[Harmonybanjo]

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/north/10801 ... deenshire/

Usually they are sighted nearer the coast around the Banff area.

 

[Zilch5]

ABCs on Sydney's outskirts

The "Sydney Panther" - our version of the ABC - is back in the news.

Here's a video - together with some other well known cryptids:

http://tinyurl.com/ljnapn

On second view - it doesn't feature more than 5 secs of Aussie footage...

 

[Moooksta]

Interesting paw print in the METRO this morning. Nice picture with ruler along side.

Large animal tracks, thought to have been made by the legendary Durham Puma, have been snapped in a farmer's field in West Durham.

The big prints, measuring three and a half inches (9cm) in length, were spotted by a walker, who told a local photographer of his find.

Running along one length of a muddy field the prints clearly show a large paw with deep claw markings.

mooks out

 

[Fats_Tuesday]

Interesting paw print in the METRO this morning. Nice picture with ruler along side.

Large animal tracks, thought to have been made by the legendary Durham Puma, have been snapped in a farmer's field in West Durham.

The big prints, measuring three and a half inches (9cm) in length, were spotted by a walker, who told a local photographer of his find.

Running along one length of a muddy field the prints clearly show a large paw with deep claw markings.

mooks out

It's just the footprint of a big dog. Cats (except cheetahs) have retractable claws, so wouldn't show the prominent nail imprints seen in the picture.

 

[GNC]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8162091.stm

Injured horse 'attacked by puma'

Police have warned the public not to approach big cats after a suspected puma attack on a horse in Ayrshire.

The animal's owner found it badly injured near Sundrum Holiday Park in Coylton on Friday, with claw and slash marks on its hind quarters.

Experts called in to examine the injuries said they were probably caused by a big cat, possibly a puma.

The incident came after a member of staff reported a sighting of a large cat in the park two months ago.

Strathclyde Police said the horse is making a good recovery and urged the public to report any further sightings.

Farmers warned

Supt John Hazlett, said: "After consultation with experts, the evidence points to a big cat, possibly a puma, having caused the injuries to the horse.

"There was a possible sighting of a large cat in the grounds of Sundrum Castle back in May, when a member of staff at the castle reported seeing a very large cat prowling the grounds one morning."

Mr Hazlett said a puma was unlikely to approach or present a danger to humans - but warned members of the public not to approach the animal, if it was seen.

He added: "I would also ask local farmers to take extra caution with their animals and to contact police if any of them are injured."

The animal in the May sighting was said to be sandy in colour and about 4ft tall and 6ft long.

Di Francis, from the British Big Cats organisation, said: "We don't know enough from the description to say for sure but the most commonly known exotic cat that could be out there, that is light brown, is a Puma.

"There have been attacks on horses by big cats across Britain over the years. They normally involved mares with foals. The cat will go for the foals and when the mare comes in to protect her young the cat will strike at her."

Ms Francis said there was no reason for the public to be alarmed.

She added: "With any predator in the countryside you should never, ever turn and run because you then make yourself a prey.

"If you stand still the animal will totally ignore you. They really are not dangerous to humans."

But they are dangerous to horses? If this was not a puma, what was it? Is this actual proof of big cats, then?

 

[maximus otter]

Is this actual proof of big cats, then?

Sadly, no.

There are many recorded instances of humans with mental issues attacking horses. Google "George Edalji" for perhaps the most famous one.

It would be difficult to make a distinction between slash marks left by a predator's claws and slash marks left by a deranged man's blade.

It's difficult for some people to accept that a human could harm a pet animal like this. Perhaps it's easier for them to exculpate humanity and blame an - imaginary? - animal.

maximus otter

 

[PeniG]

Pumas are far more dangerous to horses than to humans. They understand that horses don't carry guns, for one thing. All predators prefer easy prey; hence, the taking of foals and sick or old animals.

Also, humans are not configured like prey. The preferred puma hunting technique is to lurk in a high place, such as a tree or rock overhang, drop onto prey from above, and snap the neck. This is much easier with a quadruped than with a biped - although if you're in puma country, I wouldn't squat or bend over under any overhangs!

Pumas have been known to kill humans, but it's rare and usually can be shown to involve some stupidity on the part of the human, such as jogging alone in puma country with headphones on. The standard advice for hikers is to face the cougar and make oneself as big as possible while making a threatening noise. But if you see one, odds are it wasn't hunting you anyway.

Although the "panther" was a subject of much fear in pioneer America, this seems to have been based more on their nighttime territorial calls, which are a chilling whistling scream that must be heard to be believed, than on incidents. In fact, reading old Texas memoirs I often run across statements by hunters to the effect that the panther is the most timid and innocuous of creatures. The fact that these old Texans tended to shoot at anything that moved may have contributed to this demeanor.

 

[Pietro_Mercurios]

When ABC Pumas Attack!

News of the possible phantom puma attacking a horse, in Ayrshire, in the South West of Scotland, from the local paper, the Ayrshire Post.

http://www.ayrshirepost.net/ayrshir...d-of-horse-attack-in-coylton-102545-24213620/

Puma suspected of horse attack in Coylton

Ayrshire Post. July 24 2009

POLICE are investigating a claim that a puma attacked a horse in Coylton on Friday.

The animal was found with slash marks on its hind quarters following the incident near Sundrum Holiday park.

Experts have been called in to examine the horse’s injuries.

And they claim they are likely to have been caused by a big cat.

This attack follows a sighting of a large cat in the park two months ago.

Police say that the horse is making a good recovery and urged the public to report any further sightings.

Supt John Hazlett, said: “After consultation with experts, the evidence points to a big cat, possibly a puma, having caused the injuries to the horse.

“There was a possible sighting of a large cat in the grounds of Sundrum Castle back in May, when a member of staff at the castle reported seeing a very large cat prowling the grounds one morning.”

And he assured the public that it is unlikely that the animal poses any risk to humans but warned farmers to be careful with their livestock.

He added: “I would also ask local farmers to take extra caution with their animals and to contact police if any of them are injured.”

The animal in the May sighting was said to be sandy in colour and about 4ft tall and 6ft long.

Horse mutilation in connection with reported sightings of an ABC, what more could a Fortean ask for, UFO sightings?

 

[rynner2]

Policeman takes 'big cat' photo

An off-duty Ministry of Defence police dog handler has taken a photo of what he claims is a panther-sized big cat.

Pc Chris Swallow was helping a friend with their garden in Helensburgh, Argyll, when he spotted the black creature on a nearby railway line.

The officer, who is stationed at the Faslane naval base on the Clyde, said the cat was as big as a Labrador dog.

Big cats have been reported in the area in the past, with several sightings of the so-called Coulport Cougar.

Pc Swallow said he saw the animal on 30 June while working in the garden at Kildonan Drive, Helensburgh. He could tell it was not a Labrador, as he first thought, because of the way it was walking, and because its tail was about twice the length that a dog's would have been.

He said: "My friend's house is next to the West Highland Line and at one point I looked down and saw what I first thought was a black Labrador on the tracks.

"There were trains coming and going throughout the day and I was a bit concerned, but when I looked again I saw that the animal wasn't moving the way I expected a dog to.

"It was then I realised that what I was seeing was a big cat and I shouted on my friend to come and have a look. We were stunned."

After running to his car to grab his camera phone, Pc Swallow stood on the rail bridge at Winston Road and got a still photo and a couple of minutes of footage of the animal moving up the railway line.

He added: "It was remarkable. I've heard stories about creatures like this moving about the countryside, but never really believed them before. Looking back at the video I don't think there's any doubt that it's a big cat."

The Coulport Cougar was first reported in June 2004. The creature was described as being tan and prowling the woods and hills around Loch Long, Portincaple, Whistlefield and next to the Coulport access road.

However, another creature, described as being black in colour, was also spotted at the nearby Garelochhead Training Camp, leading some people to believe that there may also have been a panther in the area.

John Belshaw, pest control officer at the Faslane naval base, said he had spoken to people in the past who had been "quite shaken" by seeing a big cat cross the road in front of them during the night.

Mr Belshaw said: "I have had a look at Chris's footage and have to say that I do not believe it is a domestic cat or a dog.

"At one point in the video it seems to walk on the railway line and a dog simply wouldn't have had the balance to do this.

"Also, you can tell from the size of the track that it is much larger than a house cat."

There have been regular reports of big cat sightings across the UK, leading to speculation that they may have escaped from a private zoo or collection.

Prior to the 1974 Wildlife Act, it was not illegal to release wild animals into the British countryside.

Shaun Stevens, a researcher with the Big Cats in Britain group, said: "We have regular sightings reported every year of large black cats in the Helensburgh area and it appears to be a favourite haunt of these animals.

"In Argyll, I probably get to hear of maybe 20 or 30 sightings in a year. In the UK we get a sighting practically every day."

Mr Stevens said he believed the cats could be a hybrid species, or possible an entirely new species.

"I myself have photographed a black hybrid cat of over 3.5ft in length," he said.

"Knowing the width of the rail tracks in Chris's video is 4ft 8.5in, the animal photographed by him is clearly in excess of 4ft and as such is certainly not a domestic cat.

"Initial first impressions are very exciting, as I think this could be one of the best pieces of footage of a big cat in the UK ever."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/gla ... 172064.stm