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In
case you weren't aware, Gloucestershire's history of rogue animals
extends far beyond the Tamworth Two.
The
county has been an epicentre for ABC (Alien Big Cat to the uninitiated)
activity for over a decade.
 ...people had big cats like leopards
as pets...
 |
| Danny
Nineham |
One
theory is that they are the offspring of animals which were once
kept as pets.
Speaking
to ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ News, Forest-based big cat enthusiast Danny Nineham said,
"In the 1960s and 1970s, people had big cats like leopards
as pets and they used to walk them like dogs.
"But
in 1976 when the Dangerous Wild Animals Act came into force, people
released their cats because they did not want to pay for a licence,
put them down, or take them to a zoo."
Increase
In
2002, the British Big Cats Society said it had received more than
800 reports of animals including pumas, black panthers, leopards
and so-called Fen tigers during a 12-month period.
Gloucestershire,
Devon, Kent and Leicestershire reported the most sightings.
 |
| Here
be tygers...well, a leopard actually |
Sightings
Local
big cat sightings have been dramatic.
In
1994 four teenagers camping out in Bisley reported a frightening
close encounter, during which they were chased by an animal bigger
than a labrador dog.
Prowl
In
2000 a big cat was reported as having spent a night on the prowl
in a Gloucestershire village, during which it was believed to has
attacked a dog and left claw marks on a villager's door.
...a lot of these reports turn out
to be domestic cats or foxes.
|
| Paul
Westwood |
"During
the night their was a hell of a commotion," said householder
Derek Day, speaking to ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ News at the time.
"When
we got...we found the door was ripped. It couldn't have been anything
but something with powerful jaws."
Cats
Paul
Westwood, of website bigcatmonitors.co.uk, said that sightings nationally
were rising fast.
"It's
increasing exponentially - personally I've had over 30 sightings
reported to me over the past year," he said.
"However,
a lot of these reports turn out to be domestic cats or foxes."
Despite
this, he recently discovered paw prints which a vet confirmed as
belonging to a big cat.
 See
also: Gloucestershire
big cat hunter
Report
Have
you got a big cat story or picture? Do think dangerous animals are
on the prowl in Gloucestershire, or are people just getting scared
by big domestic moggies? Let us know...
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here to post a comment on this page or click
here to see what's already been said...
Your comments:
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andy janik
today (11/2/2009 ) whilst walking on the edge of avening woods just outside nailsworth glos I spotted a large black cat like animal stalking 4 deer - it was about the size of a rottweiller with a vary long tail
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If you
would like to comment on this story get in touch at gloucestershire@bbc.co.uk
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Over
the past decade, Gloucestershire has been a hub of big cat activity
- and this doesn't mean portly tabbies, but mysterious puma-like beasts
which are thought to have preyed on sheep and dogs.
