"Despite" what the authorities say, and the people who have never witnessed a "real" sighting of a big cat loose in the british countryside.
May i beg to differ with them on that!, please take some time to listen to my stories and hear it straight from the "horses mouth" so to speak!
my 1st sighting was some years back now, but i remember it like yesterday because when you do have a sighting it sticks in your mind forever
it was in the welsh countryside, mid wales to be precise, on a day out with my wife and family, we had just stopped for lunch in a layby in our car, just outside a small village, we were eating "sarnies"and "goodies"for the kids, something caught my eye on the right in a field on the opposite side of the road, the sheep were startled by something so i got out the car and walked across the road and stood on the field wall
as i scanned the area with my eyes i noticed something moving in the grass about 75-100 yards away, it was midsummer the grass was a bit longer than usual, i could not believe my eyes at what i was looking at!
it was a puma!, it was stalking the sheep!, as i was observing it a farmer was passing by, and he stopped and asked me what i was doing standing on the wall, he came over and i said look at this!, he couldn't believe his eyes either!, his dog jumped over the wall into the field,but before the farmer had chance to call it back the dog had made its own mind up!,as if to say,"get me out of here quick!!,and headed straight back to its owners side!,"trembeling somewhat"!.
we watched the cat for about a good 10 mins or so, but it never actualy made an attempt to attack the sheep, to be honest judging by the size of it the cat didnt look fully grown, don't get me wrong i have been an animal lover all my life and big cats are one of if not my personal "favourite" in the animal kindom!, so i know what i saw that day!,and so did the farmer!, perhaps it was not fully grown!, i would say it was about the size of a collie dog?, but fully grown pumas can be as big as an alsation dog!
anyway, after a while the cat spotted us and watched us for a couple of mins and after a short while it finally made off along the edge of the field jumped over a wire fence and headed for the not to far away hills and woodland.
which brings me back to what i said earlier,when you have your 1st sighting,it feels, "mmm" how can i put this?, so unreal because of the eye contact, you know you shoudn't be there and neither should the cat!, it just does not happen in this country! or does it?
well let me tell you it does! and i am living proof of it! and so are the cats!
now then!, my second sighting was very recent!,around 6-8 weeks ago!
while i was visiting family in a town in nottinhamshire, i was driving along the edge of the town with my son, he to was sat in the front, i was driving from my sisters house to my other sisters house,when all of a sudden about 10-15 yards in front of my car, a "fully grown" black panther ran across the road from right to left!
luckily i am quick thinking! and slowed the car down immediately!
it covered the width of the road in a couple of bounds!,
my son shouted, "what the hell was that dad!", i knew exactly what it was!
the next day i visited the area again and realised that it must have gone down a lane past an old sewage works and headed off down the canal bank!
looking back now big cats are creatures of habit that is they like to use the same old tracks and territories of their hunting grounds at night,maybe it was after duck or perhaps dog! which is a "favourite" of theirs in their native countries and often do take them from local villages out in the middle of nowhere!
i am not suggesting you stop taking your dog for a walk though, all i can say about the matter is that "YES",there are big cats on the loose in the british isles today!and in my oppinion i dont see a problem with them!
there is no "significant" loss of livestock!(or people for that matter!), so if like me you are lucky enough to come across one!, shoot it by all means!
******BUT WITH A CAMERA ONLY PLEASE!!!.
