Despite numerous people claiming to have seen big cats in the UK, there is no hard evidence they exist, writes Chen Ly.
BIG CAT SIGHTINGS
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Rumours of big cats, such as leopards and mountain lions, living wild in the UK have been bubbling for decades. Now, reported DNA evidence of a black leopard (Panthera pardus) in Gloucestershire and a recent spate of eye-witness accounts have renewed interest in the idea that large felines roam the nation. Here is what we know about these mystery cats.
Are there big cats roaming wild in the UK?
The term “big cat” typically refers to species that belong to the genus Panthera, such as lions, jaguars and leopards. However, cheetahs, lynxes and cougars – also known as mountain lions – are commonly associated with the phrase.
There are a few cases of such animals being seen in the UK, such as a puma captured in 1980 and a lynx shot by a farmer in 1991, but, according to the UK’s Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), there has been no credible evidence of big cats presented to Natural England, a public body responsible for the protection of England’s natural environment, in recent decades.
“If we were presented with credible information to suggest there was a big cat living wild, and posing a threat to public health and safety, we would report the matter to the local police and the Home Office,” a Defra spokesperson told New Scientist.
But a handful of people disagree with this official assessment. This includes Rick Minter, the host of the Big Cat Conversations podcast, who believes the evidence strongly suggests the presence of large felines in the UK countryside.
Where are they and how many are there?
Alleged sightings of big cats have been reported across the UK. The British Big Cats Society says that it receives between 500 to 600 reports a year, but these are mostly unverified and anonymous. Freedom of information requests to UK police forces have also revealed a small number of reports over the past decade.
The bulk of the reports have been of black leopards, also known as panthers, says Minter. Around 15 per cent of sightings are of sandy-coloured cats, which could be mountain lions (Puma concolor), says Minter, and the remaining 5 per cent are of lynxes.
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