KENT BIG CAT RESEARCH

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Those Shot With Cameras…And Those Shot With Guns

Looking for exotic cats in the wilds of Britain is not akin to searching for treasure at the end of the rainbow. When our budding enthusiast comes face to face with a Black Leopard, and even has time to snap or film it, what is he going to do with the evidence? Well, for many the fame and media interest is too much of a temptation. There is no zoological interest when all of a sudden a major news network or whoever gets their hands on the latest ‘beast’ encounter. Indeed, many large, roaming felines have been caught on camera, slapped all over the newspapers and internet like some prize possession or discovered jewel. Is this really taking the animals welfare into consideration ? Sure, it is fascinating and exciting for some to get this sort of thing on film, but how many people would think twice before waving their naïve hands in the air and babbling it all out to the press ? Not many. Or, how many would actually take their evidence home, realising what they have caught on film, and not tell anyone ? As far as I am concerned, if you are that genuine person who has filmed a large cat in the countryside, then keep it to yourself. If you feel the need to discuss it or show it to others, then do so, but only if you trust them 100%. In this instance there can be comparisons drawn with someone who shoots one of these cats with a gun. I am not talking about the lunatic fringe who intentionally go out to stalk these felines with the sole purpose of destroying them, but for instance, someone like a farmer who accidentally snags a small exotic in a fox snare or takes a shot at what he thinks is a fox which has been taking his chickens, only for him to realise he has blasted a Caracal. As soon as one of these people tells someone about it, it can become the talk of the village and the information can get into the wrong hands. These though are accidental deaths, just like road kills, although they can still create very aggressive animals if only injuries occur.

Over the years cats have been killed in Kent. Worryingly, some of these deaths were inflicted on purpose, whilst some details of certain incidents remain vague and we are inclined to believe they never happened at all. Some kills have occurred due to a cat escaping from inadequate facilities and they have been traced after a short time and destroyed, but others have allegedly been shot by land owners. One cat was shot from a tree by a poacher who regretted his actions after he realised just what it was he’d shot, and it is most likely that he got rid of the evidence pretty rapidly. This occurred during the ‘80s, a time when the ‘beasts’ of Exmoor were proving to be elusive targets for the Marines. Over one-hundred years ago a small ‘wild’ cat was shot locally although I am inclined to believe it was a Pine Marten, an animal roughly the same size as a domestic cat, a slender-bodied mustelid with a bushy tail and short legs. So, whilst it is obviously more harmful to shoot at a cat with a gun than a camera, it is about time we asked the questions, what are people trying to prove by getting one on film and what are they going to do with the evidence ? From all around Britain felines have been snapped, and whilst it makes news for a few days, there are still those who do not believe that more than one or two exist in Britain and there are many people who do not care. The television companies need to fill their slots with something, so they’ll tag along to any ‘hunt’ to fill their schedules, in the same way some newspapers do. But at the end of the day, if the researcher is only in it for the self-satisfaction and attention, what is the point in the first place ? At the end of the day only a handful of major governing bodies are going to grasp the situation by the scruff of the neck and then realise it is too out of control, indeed, it was out of control by the 1960s! Those that ‘track’ these creatures with the sole intention of getting them on film will certainly have their little bit of exposure, but running to the government, police or certain wildlife authorities with their precious tape or photograph isn’t going to make a blind piece of difference. All it will do is create further ego’s, enabling some to sneer as if they have got more candy than another. It is quite comical.

KENT BIG CAT RESEARCH has obtained a number of pieces of conclusive video and photographic footage pertaining to definite exotic cats. One was taken by a visitor to the county in the ‘90s, and shows a Black Leopard prowling on the fringes of long grass in broad daylight. The animal appears to be looking for small food such as mice. Nothing ever really came of the footage despite some media coverage, it merely filled a schedule for the TV company and attracted the wrong sort of people to the area.

The most interesting footage we have concerns witnesses who in a way had the best chance of getting something on film simply because whilst they were out driving they had the camcorder running all the time. Many people take to the countryside but are concerned about the lighting, the weather or their battery running low so tend to only start filming when they feel they are in an area they believe ‘something’ should inhabit. The film we have is shot in broad daylight and shows an unusual cat casually strolling up a country lane towards the vehicle from which the witnesses are filming. The people in question were generally filming the area so the camera was running all the time they drove through the tight lanes. The cat appears about sixty-feet away but as the camera zooms in it nonchalantly moves into woodland, out of sight. What the film shows is an unusual cat, certainly not Puma-size, but not a domestic cat either, but with the colouration of a Burmese Cat but not the build. However, such a film does not prove anything it merely solidifies belief, all it does is aid us to monitor the different species of feline which lurk out there. These animals are not the ghosts we do not understand but flesh and blood animals that have a quite normal selection of explanations to their existence, we have established they are there, if others are convinced then so be it, but at the end of the day there have been many attacks on sheep, thousands of encounters, and yet there are still people out there trying to prove these animals exist. Why ? Does it really fulfil a lifetime ambition when that mystery cat is finally on your camcorder ? Well, if it does, good for you, we’re sure the cat is delighted for you to. After all, if it wasn’t for the poor thing in the first place, many bumbling ‘hunters’ wouldn’t have a hobby in the first place, and hundreds of crackpots wouldn’t be marching through the woods with their guns, newspapers would have empty spaces on their precious pages and it’ll probably be the animals fault when it starts to become hunted for its skin! Jungle Cats are currently extinct in Iraq but not threatened elsewhere, the Lynx is not endangered but rare in some areas but they have been introduced deliberately back into the wilds of countries such as Germany, Ocelots are almost extinct in the U.S.A. and rare in Mexico due to loss of habitat, and whilst the trade in their fur has ceased recovery will be slow, especially with so many people still desiring them as pets. Whilst the Serval and the Caracal are ‘least concerns’, with a bright future they are still illegally hunted despite the fact that they co-exist well with human settlement and control rodent populations.

Hitting the Myth

In Britain alone these cats do not officially exist, but who cares what the authorities say ? Ignorance to some extent is bliss. Who cares if someone has film of a Black Leopard ? Do we get excited if someone films Leopards for BBC wildlife documentaries in Africa ? No, because they are professionally filmed with expert monitoring that does not paint a picture of these cats as extraordinary or mystical. Is this really going to be any different when these cats do become indigenous, or, already have ? For how much longer will these animals be treated as monsters ? This is not a case of trying to prove a prehistoric monster lives in the local lake and asking how it got to be, it is more a case of stopping people harming these animals, realising they are no harm and that it is only us that can turn them into vicious, aggressive cats. If the cat population in Britain had been properly monitored in the ‘50s and ‘60s and previous then maybe, just maybe, there wouldn’t have been such a thriving population that there is now. However, after the ‘70s everything was treated like something akin to the Loch Ness Monster or some prowling werewolf on the moors instead of being monitored. There is nothing we can do now, but there is nothing wrong anyway. Too many people have ignored the situation, but with wars going on, politics and murder, we can understand why. That’s why, when it comes to filming these elusive cats it is always best to think of the animal first and not your pocket, because at the end of the day habitats are already shrinking so for a variety of species to live in a relatively small county is going to not only be difficult in regards to finding remote areas, but with so much attention being drawn to areas just because someone has filmed an animal there and told the world, isn’t going to make it any easier, especially when the next time it is shot is by a gun.

Bodies of these creatures are rarely found but if we assume that only one or two cats roam a county, with each of these animals not living far beyond fifteen years in the wild, there is practically no chance of finding the corpses. Of course, there are more than two cats of differing species in a majority of the counties in Britain but many of these cats, although being sighted often, will exist and dwell in remote areas and during nocturnal hours so any natural deaths in such an area will once again only expose the body to scavengers. Sceptics consider the lack of a body enough proof that they do not exist, but in North America where unknown and elusive bipedal creatures such as Bigfoot are said to exist, not even common bear carcasses are discovered in abundance, and there may be only one Bigfoot to every five-hundred bears! However, feline corpses have been found in Britain, and in Kent, and photographed. Thankfully, the man who discovered one snared dead cat kept the photographs to himself, and the body was burnt, but they clearly showed a small Puma. Some sceptical folk want to see dead specimens and photographs of corpses, but those that have them are not eager to give them up for fear of prosecution There is the possibility, especially through road kills that bodies of these felines will be discovered by the public and if so they need to be dealt with properly, not splashed all over the news by someone who feels they have uncovered their own personal treasure trove. Science often requires a body in order to establish a belief…at times we are better off without science! The felines in question will live for between fifteen and twenty years, most of them dying of natural causes or ailments which us humans can relate to in the form of pneumonia, arthritis, kidney problems, tumours and less serious, dental problems.

People will have aggressive encounters with exotic cats. However a Southern zoo-keeper has warned that animals such as Lynx can be vicious but they will not carry off children, and Leopards will only be aggressive if cornered or intruded upon, especially if guarding young, as we have already established. People are attacked by sharks when they wade into a territory that does not belong to them but they feel they have a god-given right to disturb. If someone walks through the countryside and their dogs disturb the young of a wild boar, they have no right to moan when their fluffy canine pets are mauled in a one-sided combat. Indeed, large cats will attempt to avoid humans but are also curious. We have received many reports of very close encounters where large cats such as the melanistic Leopards have arrogantly gazed at the startled witness who just stands five-feet away. In most instances the feline has slinked away into the shadows leaving the witness awe-struck and respectful of this sleek animal. In some cases people have been alarmed and acted like a number of brain-dead individuals usually do, they either chase the animal or threaten it. Many have attempted to stake the area out hoping to take a pop at the poor animal with an air-rifle, or to have their so-called masculine pit-bull savage it. Fortunately second encounters often never materialise, unless by pure chance.

The press love stories of ‘big cat’ attacks in the same way shark attacks are emblazoned all over the pages. They treat it like some monster story, rarely blaming the ‘victim’ for their idiocy in the situation. In 99% of stories covered there is never any mention of the animals welfare, the tales are usually boastful of how such a creature is known for its man-eating skills and predatory functions, when instead it should be blasting the foolish intruder who tormented it in the first place. At the end of the day all these stories do is create ‘witch-hunts’ because there is always someone out there who would love one of these felines displayed in their cabinet, just so they can tell their friends that they killed the ‘beast of…’ whatever. Most, if not all of the cat attacks covered so far by the press have been the fault of the human being, whether they have cornered the feline, prodded it, stepped on it, pulled at its tail or whatever, the fact is, don’t be stupid, show common sense and don’t act the tough guy. If a large cat has your pet rabbit or chicken in its mouth, don’t approach the animal. It is a lot quicker than you and it will be unlikely that the animal will drop its prey, but very likely it will lash out.

Feline Headlines

There is also the ‘mystery’ ingredient thrown into any report which usually replaces the zoological facts, because let’s face it, the readers want the fireworks not the instructions. More worryingly is the fact that some zoologists refuse to believe that the larger exotic cats are inhabiting Britain. Whilst we were filming a piece with biologist Chris Packham about cats in the South-East, a zoo-keeper was interviewed and stated quite categorically that larger cats such as panthera could not be living in the countryside because, as he said, “…there would be more signs”. Well, not only are there signs but there an abundance of positive sightings every year of the Black Leopard. Why is this not good enough evidence ? And to quote another South-East keeper, “…there is no reason why these cats cannot survive in Kent but there is no evidence to suggest they do.” However, if the public are being informed by a well respected, albeit sceptical keeper, they can sleep better at night, despite the increasing number of reports in the local press which claim that the resident ‘beast’ is a ‘savage sheep killer’, a ‘man-eater’ and a ‘lion-like animal’ !!! Indeed, there have been hundreds of reports across Britain concerning these cats and they clearly describe how locals are living in fear of these animals, bolting their doors and barricading their windows, it is no wonder Britain is full of so many pathetic animals which exist under the control of us humans. In our minds we need to have control of our land and so anything which invades must be destroyed…many of us really seem to believe that a Puma is going to climb in through our windows at dusk and snatch our children. Why are these stories and folktales still seeping into the minds of those who should be understanding just what is out there and how it lives ? Because it makes a good story. Whether an Ocelot has been drinking from someone’s pond or a Caracal has stolen a chicken, it appears far better as, “….big cat invades village – locals terrified!!” No newspaper, or even its readership wants to know about how the Ocelot lives or eats, and those who feel it is their duty grab the situation by the scruff of the neck just want a piece of the action too. It then becomes habit that photographs of eaten sheep are plastered everywhere as if to show just how much destruction this animal can cause, when all it is doing is finding a meal. It portrays the animal as a marauding killer and provides the modern day hunter or angry farmer with enough evidence to want to slay the ‘beast’ despite there being other ways around it. Unfortunately, many people are resorting back to the dark ages of hunting to solve ‘their’ problem.

The ‘big cat’ situation is currently one of the ‘in thing’ mysteries although there is nothing supernatural or remotely ‘fortean’ about it. Out of place animals have never given the press much interest, or the public for that matter but because these elusive and wild felines have more staying power than say, wallaby colonies or alleged wolf sightings, the press sometimes find it difficult to continually devote time and space to the subject. Many have theorised that the reports of phantom black dogs dating back over two-hundred years actually describe vague accounts of Black Leopard encounters, but coming from delirious witnesses who only described large hounds because they could not possibly at the time have come to terms, or expected to have seen a Black Panther. Many descriptions mention large padding animals usually seen at night which have fiery eyes, make heavy panting noises, are often seen crossing or sitting in dark lanes and move often ghostly. All these details very much relate to the way a Black Leopard is, but there are still reports that definitely describe black dogs, and many which just disappear. However, whilst we may well be dealing with some very different and separate enigma altogether, it must be said that if any large felines did roam Britain then, and we certainly believe they did, they would have been wrongly perceived for many years and able to very healthily and elusively get on with their lives.

It is important that the countryside in general be observed and monitored in order to study the populations of wildcat species existing in Britain. There are many witnesses to ‘big cat’ evidence who are unaware of how a badger scratches trees or what fox excrement looks like, and this plays a factor when everyone and anyone begins to stumble through the woodlands thinking that anything and everything can be put down to cat behaviour. Paw-prints, screams in the night, scent and kills are often wrongly perceived, but it is only natural that not everyone can be a naturalist able to identify signs of a Leopard or Caracal. It is already clear with many eye-witness reports that a number of people do not know what they have seen despite the fact they have obviously seen a large cat but this in turn can create more, or less cats for the researcher who shows enthusiasm but no knowledge.

THERE WILL BE ATTACKS!

Whilst hand-reared cats may well be used to humans, any exotic cat in the wild, despite its background, is a dangerous animal There have been attacks on pets, especially dogs, whatever size, and there is a possibility that in the future there will be severe attacks on humans which will automatically give these cats a bad name. There is a public concern that children may well be targets for cats such as Puma, but at the moment, and despite numerous close encounters, there have been no harmful confrontations. We cannot tell children not to play in the woods, or warn ramblers not to walk gloomy woodland pathways, because they obviously feel they have the right to be there and that any animal such as a Leopard should not be there. There is enough food in Kent to sustain a number of large cats, but in twenty years the population of cats could, and most probably will reach an almost ridiculous amount, and it is fair to say that many estimations nationwide as to how many Leopards are out there are incredibly inaccurate. There are more than we realise, and that is without the inclusion of smaller felines such as Jungle Cat and Lynx. There is also the possibility that now the ‘big cat mystery’ is upon us, there will be a number of illegal purchases concerning cats and even more released into the wild deliberately. People can still obtain these animals, and whilst some really do want them still as pets, others will, for the fun of it just get them in order to create another local legend. It is shocking to discover what sort of animals are being released into the Kent countryside. Animals such as Servals may be popular pets but this does not mean they are good pets, because even our average domestic variety displays levels of unpredictability, imagine the type of harm a Serval or other small exotic could cause if handled incorrectly, or brought up inadequately. Those who obtain these animals have a responsibility to look after them, they are not a novelty but all the time it is so easy to just give them up to the local countryside, the more likely these animals will be purchased and taken care of just for a short time. At the end of the day, however docile or cute a wild cat may look or seem, it is still a wild cat. Those who keep cats such as Leopards in cages are obviously not aware that the ideal environment to offer a ‘pet’ exotic goes beyond the realms of a rusty cage. Those able/ allowed to keep a Leopard should consider a one-thousand acre pen bereft of public intrusion, that is heavily wooded, considering such an animal in the wild may establish, if male, a territory up to three-hundred square miles. Zoos of course can only offer small pens but most, such as Howletts Zoo and Port Lympne, in Kent, offer something akin to natural surroundings for their rare and endangered creatures. Also, it must be added, that many people who own such animals in private collections, only do so for their own satisfaction, something which is wrong when they should be putting the animal first. Indeed, many of the exotic cats kept in the swinging Sixties and Seventies were only kept for novelty value.

Cats will not usually kill for the sake of it, and when they need to kill they will look for the easiest meal. Surplus kills are actually frequent and concerns the effects of a large cat in an enclosure abundant with prey. Whilst foxes are known to decimate, there are also occasions when a feline predator may kill more than it needs to eat as the terrified movements in a pen may cause the predator to instinctively react to the panic of the prey. Such an act of killing may cause a great deal of loss to farmers, landowners etc, in turn causing responsive hostility toward the cats. However, if certain people take the law into their own hands in order to persecute these animals, this will not necessarily eradicate the problem. If these people are given compensation by a governing body in order to cover the losses, and are able to understand the felines responsible, they would also understand that not a great deal of livestock, certainly in Kent anyway, is lost to large felines. In some parts of the world it is allowed for one to destroy the predator which is taking livestock, and in most areas where these cats are native, livestock loss may be great due to a number of cats being in the area. In Britain, and certainly Kent, one cat may operate in an area covering around forty-square miles. With this cat being a Leopard, there will be enough small prey. Any other smaller cats, such as Caracal, will hardly take livestock such as sheep, and usually feed off smaller prey. In many countries one specific predator, whether it preys on livestock, or people, will be hunted, instead of every cat in the vicinity being tarred with the same brush. However, in Kent, livestock predation is not frequent although there are records of a certain number of sheep being taken during a specific period. However, before too many people take the law into their own hands, they must understand the possible consequences if they injure a roaming Leopard and possibly talk matters over with experts who could identify the animal and discuss means of prevention. If the cats in Britain, which are still extremely sparse in population at the moment compared to the countries of origin, are to become targeted then all hell could break loose. Hopefully, with only one or two large cats prowling a large area, the chances of a hit will be extremely remote as opposed to other areas in the world where hundreds of cats are shot in just a few years despite not being the main livestock killers. At the moment compensation is paid out to farmers in places such as Colorado, and in parts of Europe where Lynx has been re-introduced. Although an outcry originally occurred after a number of livestock losses the pay outs enabled certain small businesses to accept the prowlers. However, it was also proven that large cats such as the Lynx were not the main offender in the first place, but other animals such as Coyote in the U.S. All exotic felines should be protected, and if this is the case, and hopefully it eventually will be in Britain, then farmers are naturally going to want something back. Small farms in areas such as Exmoor can not afford to lose too much livestock, yet also do not have the time to stalk the hunter which preys on the sheep etc. If an agreement is taken into effect which enables the animals such as the Puma to exist, and also helps the farmer, then surely this would be a decent compromise. If an animal such as the Black Leopard is frequently, but not habitually, using one area of farmland as a food source then some kind of financial incentive will be the only way for livestock owners to accept and to even understand what is going on. However, all the while these cats are ignored either as myth or as too big a problem to deal with, then they will always be considered as local monsters ready to rip the throats from another dozen sheep. The only negative side to these incentives would concern those who attempt to fraud the system for financial gain as many cases of alleged ‘cat kills’ may not be able to be analysed. It may also be difficult to find a group of serious and professional people willing to devote time to a ‘mystery’ that many people consider nothing more than folklore.

In areas across the world programmes are being set up in order to repel predators such as the Puma, but not by destroying the animal but merely keeping it away. Once again though, transporting such ideas as armed guards, guard dogs, more expensive but secure enclosures, altering livestock habits etc, across the divide is something many local people feel they shouldn’t have to fork out for or indeed spend all their time doing. As far as us humans are concerned, the countryside should be open and yet we cannot accept alien species that cannot be controlled.

Our research has proven that sheep are not the main course in Kent, despite the many Exmoor slayings in the ‘70s and ‘80s, however, they are one of the only prey which will be left as grisly remains whereas rabbits, pigeons and other small prey can be eaten without trace. Whilst rabbits are quick creatures, they are in abundance and can be picked off with ease by a stalking Leopard. A large ewe will cause the Leopard to expel more energy, despite providing more meat and the texture of the wool is not exactly a favourable delicacy , and so pheasant and pigeon is a more preferred choice. Even so, if a large cat is very hungry, many fear that their children will be next on the menu. Cases have shown that Black Leopards in Britain have and with ease, knocked people off their feet and rendered them extremely vulnerable, but thankfully no-one has yet been gnawed. We dread the thought of this happening, because already some less severe cases have already been overblown and witnesses/ victims treated like media darlings when it is the felines themselves that should be protected.

Startling a cat can be easily done, especially if it is shacked up for a snooze in an old barn or derelict building. If it hears any person coming its first reaction is to exit the vicinity, even if you are standing in the only doorway. Many cases involve cats heading for the victim, at times swiping, snarling and leaping at them, but not to kill the person but to get past them. If a cat is cornered it will strike, either by bounding and swivelling in the air to lash a claw or it will simply attempt to rush past, knocking the obstacle off their feet. This is not behaviour to suggest that the cat was ready to eat the person, but merely to escape from them. The same incident often pertains to encounters with dogs too although recently a few dogs have been eaten by a Black Leopard. Many encounters with dogs begin with the dog sensing something in the undergrowth, but reactions vary. Some dogs freeze with fear, others will snarl and approach the area where they sense something. Many tussles result in the dog being injured, such as heavy lacerations to the body.

No-one can be prepared for a face to face encounter with a Black Leopard, in fact, many people do not want to know that they are there, and there are many people who do not know they are there. We cannot afford to go around putting up warning signs to ward off the public from certain areas that they once frequented for picnics. Whilst Cougar areas in North America are often sign-posted, the day it happens in Britain will bring more hunters to the woodlands than ever before, and the general public will be at more risk from trigger-happy lunatics than the cats themselves.

Most sightings of the bigger cats such as the Puma and Leopard involve a lone witness, they may be walking their dog, or in many cases driving their car, an instance where the animal is more at risk than the witness. Those ramblers who feel unsafe in the countryside are not currently at risk despite the many Black Leopards and Mountain Lions which roam Britain. The fact that many areas, despite being remote as such, are still quite populated may well keep these cats as secret hunters, but at the other end of the spectrum they may be perceived as just too dangerous to be sharing counties that are extremely small when compared to the rocky terrain of North America or tropical rainforests where human and cat encounters are very rare.

KENT BIG CAT RESEARCH receives hundreds of reports a year which prove that despite these animals being incredibly elusive, they are seen on many occasions. We do not create the illusion that these gracile animals are completely harmless just because they have so much food here, but they must also be respected. Our statistics show that 85% of reports involve the Black Leopard which is a very powerful animal, in fact, the ultimate predator and power hunter, and this is a worrying thought for those who frequent the dark woodlands and dense marshes. However, at the moment attacks are very, very rare, in fact, probably a one-in-a-thousand possibility, and that is just for a close encounter snarl or scratch. For some these are odds that suggest we are all quite safe and that the animals we often see are afraid of us, and quite willing to go on their way. For others, that ‘one’ in the thousand proves that attacks will happen and more frequently as populations rise over the years. Someone somewhere will want something done, but it will cost money and a lot of time to track down just a few of these animals and to either destroy them or send them to zoos.

We at KENT BIG CAT RESEARCH have twice (at the time of writing) had close encounters with the same Black Leopard. On the first occasion the animal was observed from a vehicle as it walked through a field of sheep and sat in another field and watched a flock. The animal had no qualms about our presence and stared at the car on several occasions, until one of us emerged from the car in the darkness and walked towards the animal which sat only thirty-feet away. The animal sped off into the darkness….but there was the possibility it could have ran toward us. One month later in the same area we observed the same cat as it glided across the field in the fog. This time the animal completely ignored both us and the sheep we shared the field with and faded into the mist. On the first occasion the animal was looking for a meal, had observed the sheep for a number of hours and yet devoured a more vulnerable and easier lamb. The second incident took place after we tracked the animal and monitored its movements for a month, and it was seen as it padded its route and had no intention of stopping for a meal.

These incidents prove to some extent that these cats have no real fear of us humans and certainly no intention of causing us harm either. Of course, there is always the minute possibility that such an animal may one day just decide to take a child, or stalk an angler sitting on the riverbank in the darkness, they would be as vulnerable as any domestic cat, deer or lamb, but despite the man-eaters of African legend and North American cougars being so badly publicised, though they have attacked humans in the past and present, we believe that if enough common sense is applied to the matter then for now, the public is safe. The future is another thing, because the exotic cats which roam Kent alone are in abundance, and they have been identified and monitored. We just hope that a balance is maintained in the countryside, because whilst the woodlands remain reasonably dense, there is enough prey to feed these animals. There is also a large population of humans as well which these cats no doubt recognise and are currently living alongside. Neither creature must see the other as a threat, but it is more likely that it is the public who will strike the first blow, and in some cases, it already has. Let’s just hope the retaliation is not so severe because our hysteria is often uncontrollable. In some ways, the current cat ‘situation’ may well be better off if ignored, just to ward off the intrusive brigade, but then we would be heading back to square one.

Many people believe that if so many cats are surviving in the local wilds then it is only a matter of time before someone is hurt. After all, man is the slowest prey around but when we immediately have the wrong perceptions of these cats, we’re already weary of them. The Florida Panther is shrinking as a population, confined to South Florida due to human development which is consuming natural habitat. For many years this elusive and rare creature, which is actually a Puma, has been feared as a man-eater and relentless livestock killer and during the 1950s it was almost completely obliterated and by the late ‘60s the animal was listed as endangered. As the human population expanded in this case, it was not threatened by the animal itself, but by the misconceptions over the years yet the reality was, it was the humans who pushed the feline out, forcing it into remote areas where it had no chance of encountering humans because we were the creature it attempted most to avoid. Such an animal has now been considered unique and special simply because it is exists but it takes years of neglect and brutality on our part for us to finally realise our downfall, and to realise just what it was we were doing in the first place. At the moment around seventy Florida Panthers roam South Florida, there is likely to be far more exotic cats, especially ‘panthers’ roaming Britain, which is an astounding fact. Thousands of acres have now been conserved as Panther habitat in order to restore the populations, and individuals are being tracked and tagged in order to be monitored. Will such a programme be put into effect here ? Do we have the room ? No. At the moment many of the cat reports are still ignored despite making many of the headlines. People know they are out there but there is still an air of mythology about it all, that’s because that is how the media likes it. They make these animals out to be unknown quantities, mysterious carnivores that we can’t quite categorise, despite the fact that hundreds of people are obviously describing the same sort of animals, although some cases do seem to describe unusual species yet the facts are, many witnesses do not have the time or knowledge to take down crucial details that would easily identify these cats.

Force of Nature

Once the cats of Britain have been established we cannot really see a government programme put into effect that not only accepts these felines but also protects them within the countryside. National parks will not be created in the near future because the countryside as it is provides just the right frame of territory yet is already decreasing due to development. Some animals may be captured and sent to zoos, there are certainly some that would take them here in Britain. It is important that the plants and animals that co-exist alongside these cats are also nurtured, natural wilderness is essential regardless, but even more so especially with so many people fearing that these animals will start coming into towns on a more regular basis if the natural habitat is demolished.

The cats which inhabit Kent are not at risk as such, but there are a number of people who do not want them out there. The future is important, especially if these animals begin to diminish, there are indeed many who believe we should welcome such animals, especially Lynx into our back yards as such. Of course, there may come a time when these animals are monitored to the extent that we have a rough estimate of numbers and species, and so it is then down to some programme or organisation to protect them, and more so the smaller cats because we feel that there is still a lot of hostile views towards the bigger cats such as Puma and more so Leopard inhabiting Britain.

The Florida Panther were mostly wiped out a few years ago in comparison to the last surviving British felines which last emerged thousands of years ago. Britain is very much a different place now, and in just twenty years woodlands are cruelly obliterated with ease to make way for noisy motorways and other concrete giants. Those that are fond of their wildlife should be taking the matter of British ‘big cats’ seriously, but this also means an understanding with landowners, wildlife authorities and even businesses. The most promising aspect of the British cat situation at the moment concerns the gene flow of the Black Leopards which appears healthy. Rather bizarrely, there appear to be more sightings of these animals here than in parts of Africa. These animals have only just come under study in parts of Africa where sightings are few and far between, causing authorities to realise that these animals are beautiful and rare and so efforts must be made to save them. Around the 1960s reports of Black Leopards in East Africa were almost non-existent but more recently small clusters of sightings have done brilliantly for the tourist industry in areas such as Mpumalanga and also brought into effect conservation programmes. Money has been offered so that scientists can study the melanistic variety and protect them before it’s too late, this will involve baiting and then tagging in order to estimate territorial range. Those that see the animals are advised to report their sightings knowing they will be taken seriously, which is something that is still not assured in Britain, with still so many people, including police not really interested or knowledgeable enough to handle reports and also researchers who handle their reports like children with new toys.

Areas which these cats inhabit should be monitored but not disturbed, however, there are still times even with our own indigenous wildlife that we fail to respect or even recognise the importance of their presence. Many people have never sighted badgers, or ever realised just how often foxes frequent their own back yards. Just like the even more elusive cats, people only have chance encounters with badgers and foxes despite many of these animals being in abundance and on the doorstep. Indeed, badgers, the most vicious native animal to Britain, and certainly one of the toughest animals in the world, are amazing yet often ignored creatures which most of the general public have not a clue about. Such an animal may also confuse some ‘big cat’ researchers too as they stumble their way through woodlands looking for ‘big cats’ which, surprise, surprise, are never sitting there waiting to have their photo taken! The Eurasian Badger ( meles meles ) can grow to around three-feet in length and in the area of a sett have one or more scratching posts. These are usually situated near the holes which are ‘D’ shaped (flat-side downwards ) and over 20 cms wide and bigger than those of a fox. The trees scratched are usually elder trees although ash, hawthorn etc are also used. Badgers will scratch trees up to around three-feet but have been seen to climb a little higher and shred bark although other trees are less damaged. The Leopard will scratch a tree to sharpen its claws although it has been theorised that the cats do this to leave a scent, in the same way a badger does, although female Leopards urinate up trees. Badgers have scent glands beneath their toes and territories are marked this way. Many cat enthusiasts may well stumble upon these markings which are quite impressive and the damaged bark may not always show the fifth toe claw mark, which can also be said for paw-prints although a badger print is quite distinguishable as a kidney-shaped heel pad, (usually) five toes arranged in a line, and long claws, especially on the front feet which are also larger than the rear two.

Badger scratch-posts may also have snuffle holes in the vicinity, as well as scratched rocks which have been dug from the sett, and around the tree there may be a trampled area where the badger has moved in order to scratch. It may also be worth looking out for badger hairs which can measure around 8cm, being whitish in colour with a 2 cm black band which then melts into a white tip. These hairs will be coarse but also stained by dirt.

Although so many people have witnessed the beauty of a large cat in the British wilds, sightings are still few and far between despite receiving a number of reports a week. For every cat sighted in one area, two to three days, or even a week can pass without another sighting, and this proves how elusive these animals are, despite the fact they are on the move far more than badgers, combing a wide area. It also proves that not everyone reports their sighting, which is a decision that has to be respected. It must also be said that any vague sightings must be taken with a pinch of salt, or reports thrown into three categories being: a) too vague for categorisation, b) possible, worth filing, and c) definite, to be investigated. When witnesses begin to describe black cats with bobbed tails, or lions, one must siphon out the possibilities from the no-hopes. Otherwise material will be accumulated showing no pattern in identifications, behaviour, territory or even species.

Strangers in Strange Lands...No Longer

The reduction of habitat, especially on a small island such as Britain is not all bad news for the cats which roam. Certain areas of Kent have dissected by roaring dual carriageways, sliced by rail links and thrown into commotion by shopping precincts, but none of these cacophonous constructions have in any way inhibited these animals. With wild cats inhabiting just about every possible climate on Earth, except the hustle and bustle of the city, many can exist during nocturnal hours on the fringes. A majority of cats have been moulded into the environment they live in, but Britain is an exception for now, although it obviously wasn’t a few thousand years ago. Whilst there are many flowing pastures, rolling fields and quiet woodlands, many still believe large cats such as the Black Leopard cannot live under these conditions despite the fact these animals are among, if not the most adaptable creatures on this planet. A majority of feline species are woodland dwellers so even small thickets and dense hedgerows provide no problem for these animals. Other cats can exist on desolate marshlands, yet it isn’t until one explores the habitats of these cats in Britain that you begin to realise how easy it is for these animals. Country parks, nature reserves, quarries, controlled forests etc, etc provide enough shelter and food and certainly enough cover for cats to hide in the day. When darkness falls it is a different world entirely where the felines have the advantage despite poachers and the likes still taking to the woodlands. For now habitat loss is not a great concern here but sightings of these animals are on the increase, especially when Black Leopards bask in the afternoon sun or drink from a stream during an Autumn morning. Worldwide, protected areas of forest only concern a minority of feline species, but hopefully in Britain, with so many pockets of woodland and fields, this natural link will provide any roaming and naturally elusive predator a territory which will only melt into urban areas during nightly wanders. Cats will always make use of what they’ve got, flexibly shaping themselves into the system which hasn’t been theirs for many years and which to many sceptics seems unlikely as ideal habitat. As long as prey is in an area a cat such as the Black Leopard will use it as its territory regardless of how much human settlement may run adjacent to it. It must also be said that if a cat needs to ‘behave’ differently in order to exist alongside the commotion of human population then it will. Peaks of activity can alter depending on the current goings-on in an area. Whilst construction near a wooded area may seem uninhabitable during the day it will not force a cat out of its territory, the cat may in fact begin to hunt more in that particular area during the night instead of its usual daily routine. Of course, the prey which the feline hunts may not always be as abundant in certain areas at night, although it is far easier for a cat to visit farm yards at dark. Other prey may be strictly diurnal and so the cat in question may hunt for this during these hours leading into dusk. However, it must also be mentioned again that whilst places such as railway lines, golf courses, country parks and river banks may be well populated in the day, these kinds of land features are ideal navigational areas for cats to design their routes by.

These cats are not strangers to any land. Only this time the land they inhabit is full of foreigners….the humans and the other species of feline. Only one of these animals is a real danger.

DANGEROUS WILD ANIMALS ACT 1976

Conditions subject to which the Licence is Granted.

1. While any animal concerned is being kept only under the authority of the Licence:

a) The animal shall be kept by no person other than the person specified above.

b) The animal shall normally be held at the premises specified on the licence.

c) The animals shall not be moved from those premises without authorisation by the Borough Environmental Health Officer and shall not be moved except for the purpose of veterinary attention or to:

· A zoological garden

· A circus

· Premises licensed as a pet shop under the Pet Animals Act 1951

· A place registered pursuant to the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 for the purpose of performing experiments.

Premises licensed to keep such animals under the provisions of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976

d) The person to whom the Licence is granted shall hold a current insurance policy which insures him against liability for any damage which may be caused by the animals and the terms of such policy shall be approved by the Council.

2. The species and number of animals of each species which may be kept under the authority of the Licence shall be restricted to those specified on the licence.

3. Where snakes are kept the applicant shall provide to the satisfaction of the Borough Environmental Health Officer snake-proof wire screens to the window used for the ventilation of and the door to the room in which the animals are kept.

4. The animals shall be kept in containers constructed of materials and be so designed that they will not burn, shatter or collapse when involved in fire to the extent where animals could escape.

5. A properly constructed notice bearing the words “WARNING – DANGEROUS ANIMALS” in 2 inch high block letters on a conspicuous background shall be securely affixed to the outside of the door of the room in which the animals are kept.

6. The door of the room in which the animals are kept shall be securely locked closed at all times when the animals are not being attended to.

7. In the case of snakes an antidote to the venom of the snakes shall be provided by the person to whom the Licence is granted and shall readily be available at all times including during transportation of the animals.

8. Transportation

a) Transportation of the animal shall only be undertaken in an approved stoutly made container so constructed that it will not shatter or collapse in the event of impact or fire and at all times secures that the animal shall not escape.

b) A properly constructed notice bearing the words “WARNING – DANGEROUS ANIMALS” in one inch high block letters on a conspicuous background shall be securely affixed to the outside of the container in which the animal is kept.

c) Details of species of animal, availability of the antidote and the names and addresses of the consignor and consignee must be clearly displayed on the container.

d) The Licence holder shall ensure that all the above transportation requirements are complied with if the transportation of the animal is undertaken by a third person other than the consignor or consignee.

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Disclaimer: The content, views and opinions expressed here belong entirely to Neil Arnold, and do not necessarily reflect those of the site owner.