Bizarre 'big cat' story of the month

Every now and then a completely ridiculous story makes the local, and sometimes national newspapers, concerning 'big cat' sightings. The latest, pertaining to Kent, comes from the Daily Star newspaper of Saturday January 15th 2011, under the headline, 'Panther alert at A-plant'. Now, as we all know, newspapers aren't exactly the most knowledgeable sources when it comes to facts, but the following story simply makes a complete mockery of the so-called 'big cat' mystery.

The report read: 'Up to 13 black panthers are living near a UK nuclear power station. The big cats are blamed for a spate of attacks on sheep on Romney Marsh near the Dungeness atomic planet.'

The first sentence alone is enough to send serious researchers cringing back to their homes, but it gets worse, the Daily Star adds, 'Wildlife expert Dave Riches has seen panthers on the Kent marsh several times and believes there are up to 13. Farmers have found dead sheep up trees where panthers eat, Dave added: "There are big claw marks on the trees."

There are so many things wrong with this report, but I guess we could expect such inaccuracy and drama from a tabloid, but for any researcher, serious, or otherwise to state, or even be included in a statement which claims there are "13 panthers" on Romney Marsh, needs their head examined. Many people state that Romney Marsh is a vast area - in Kent it may be considered so, but it's not the wilds of Africa. Whilst there have, in the past, been sightings of black leopard, puma and lynx around the area, there are NOT "13" 'panthers' inhabiting it. A large cat such as a black leopard (or what newspapers are keen to call 'panthers') has a vast territory, an animal, mainly hunting at night could comb an area of some fifty to one-hundred square miles. When a solitary male and female meet they can produce up to four cubs. However, there is NO evidence whatsoever to suggest that "13" leopards are roaming an area which simply could NOT harbour them. The marsh is very open, at times desolate, !13" black leopards would stick out like a sore thumb and certainly be a danger to the public and sheep would be killed at an alarming, and not an infrequent rate. A leopard does not have a fixed den but will roam an area searching for food. The marsh provides ample enough food for one or two of these animals. If a female produces cubs they will stay with the mother for around eighteen-months and then make their own way in life in their own territory. Surrounding areas such as Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Deal, could also provide enough habitat and prey, but again, for a small pocket of animals, and not "13" 'panthers.

It's no wonder there is scepticism towards the existence of such animals when silly headlines and statements constantly filter through to the press. Usually we are used to the 'beast of...' type tags, but for a wildlife 'expert' to claim there are "13" panthers roaming one specific area of Kent is beyond the realms of madness. It's more than likely the area may become besieged with hunters, and once again the study of such animals is made a mockery of.

Mystery sheep death at Lenham, near Maidstone

The first possible evidence of 'big cat' activity for 2011 comes from Lenham where a farmer has lost a sheep in mysterious circumstances. The ewe, which was pregnant, was found next to a trail of fleece as if a large animal had attacked from the rear with sharp claws. There was no other mess, but the ewe had been removed of its lamb, the belly tidly eaten. The farmer does not believe a fox or dog was the culprit.

Paw-print found in snow...

A mystery paw-print has recently been found in Eastbourne and Meridian News were on the ball to cover the story. Read it HERE

The 'beast' of Blue Bell Hill becomes 147th sighting of the year...

This year there have been almost 150 sightings of large, exotic cats reported to Kent Big Cat Research. On December 8th at 8:30 pm the so-called 'beast' of Blue Bell Hill became number 147. A male witness was hissed at by a large, dark-coloured cat, the size of a Labrador whilst walking in the village of Broomfield, near Leeds Castle. The head torch of the man picked up two bright yellowy-green eyes and as he approached an animal hissed at him from the undergrowth and then bolted through the woods. The hiss of a black leopard is emitted to ward of those who have stepped too close. Whether this is the same individual cat seen around Bearsted and Thurnham remains to be seen, but the area of the sighting is only a few miles also from Blue Bell Hill which in 1998 was given it's beastly headline by the Kent Today newspaper. In 2000, Neil Arnold, who runs Kent Big Cat Research observed a black leopard on two occasions a few miles from Blue Bell Hill, and in 2008 saw another melanistic leopard. The area is rich in folklore, as is the village of Leeds which for many years has harboured a legend of a spectral black dog. Whilst there is no connection between so-called phantom hellhounds and melanistic leopards, researchers believe that it adds to the mystery.

Eight 'big cat' sightings received in one week...

From Monday 15th - Thursday 18th November eight sightings of large, exotic cats have been received. The most impressive from Wye, near Ashford, of a black leopard stalking along a hedgereow at 5:00 am, another involving a black leopard seen by a security guard at Sittingbourne, and a daylight sighting of a black leopard at Gravesend. A photo was also received of two sheep that had to be put down after a severe facial attack. The wounds suggest they were killed by a dog. See photo.

Latest big cat sightings...

The latest batch of sightings include reports from Sittingbourne (possible Leopard Cat), Gravesend (black leopard), Dartford (black leopard).
Seen a 'big cat' in the south-east ? Report it at: neil.arnold@live.com

Latest reports...

In the last week there have been reports of black leopard from Upper Halling, Cuxton, Frittenden, and Birchington.