[Anonymouse]

Originally Posted by Salu

This story certainly gives a greater credibility to the other big cat stories around the country...

Such as the sighting of the large (actually, huge) black cat which the authorities claimed was just an unusually large domestic moggy? Please. Its tail alone was longer than a Norwegian Forest Cat, and they're about the biggest breed of felis domesticus there is.
That was no moggy. It was a panther. End of story. There have been many cases of cattle and sheep being killed by something which left wounds entirely consistent with those which might be inflicted by a big cat. I don't think any dog, however large, could kill a cow - but a big cat could.

The theory as to where these big cats came from is that they're escapees and/or illegal releases from the various private zoos which were briefly popular in the 70s before they were first heavily licensed, then banned altogether. Doubtless their former owners thought they wouldn't survive in Britain's harsh climate - forgetting that while Africa is much warmer, in terms of survivability it is no less harsh. Big cats are highly adaptable survivors; colder climes wouldn't bother them all that much.

If anything, Britain is a more favourable environment - virtually no competition for food and territory, as the UK's largest native cat is the Scottish Wildcat (which isn't much bigger than a domestic cat); lots and lots of cover (moorlands, forests, hedgerows etc.); and, best of all, easy prey in the form of cattle and sheep. Frankly, I'm surprised there haven't been more sightings than those reported.

But I hope the police et al don't overreact by shooting them; big cats will avoid people instinctively, and thus won't be all that dangerous. Granted they should be caught, just in case, but they should either be sent to sanctuaries or back to their native lands. Shooting them isn't necessary. Some of them are far too rare as it is.

Here's a question: the BBC has big cat experts on its staff, viz. the Big Cat Diary crew. Why not send them to look for these cats? They've had years of experience tracking down even the most elusive of cats, the leopards; they shouldn't find it too hard tracking them down here.

BTW: the article says, "We have been told it is not a puma but either a mountain lion or a lynx." Oh, good grief. A 'mountain lion' is a puma. So much for these 'experts'.
Mountain lion, puma and cougar are three names for the same animal (though there are several more) - the name varies with the cat's native region: puma in South America, cougar in the western states of North America, mountain lion in and around California. The photo is definitely not of a puma, but a lynx - smaller, native to more wintery climes such as Canada, but no less beautiful.

---------- Post added at 07:11 ---------- Previous post was at 06:52 ----------

Originally Posted by Russ D

Baglan is a small village and happens to be the part of Port Talbot in which I live - I'll be taking my camera everywhere with me now

If you see it, Russ, please post any photos you manage to take!