Big Cats in UK
- Thread starter Monty Pigeon
- Start date
did you tie it down...sport...did you tie it downI genuinely caught a Wallaby in my garden about 3 or 4 years ago.
It had escaped from a local wildlife park.
I thought I was f***ing tripping when I walked out and saw the fucker.
Quite tame so it didn't make a big deal out of being kept there until the owners turned up.
Beautiful animal, and very powerful.
Georgewhitt
Midfield
Nah I just
"Watched the Wallaby feed, sport, watched the Wallaby feed.
They're a dangerous breed, sport, They're a dangerous breed.
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chriswallace85
Striker
Me step da reckoned he saw summit years ago up (I think) Mitford way. Big black cat. Me n me mam used to tak the water when he'd start telling folk about it like.
I'll have to ask him about it.
Never knew about the wallabies mind. Class that.
I'll have to ask him about it.
Never knew about the wallabies mind. Class that.
Monty Pigeon
Striker
Quite a few exotic mammal species have established themselves in the UK within the past century or so. Some survive for a few years and then peter out. But others - the grey squirrel especially - become well established and push out their native rivals.
Grey Squirrel - Sciuris carolinensis
Introduced into parks and gardens in the late 1800's it adapted quickly and has spread throught England Wales and southern Scotland. It can be found in most parks and woodland in England and Wales but is abscent from most of Scotland and some parts of Northern England. The black form is now well established in Beds, Herts and Cambs.
Sika Deer - Cervus nippon
Introduced in 1860 into parks in Dorset a large population has grown and is common in Dorset. Other populations exist as on Lundy and in Scotland.
Arne RSPB has a large and confiding population.
Muntjac - Muntiacus reevesi
Introduced as an ornamental deer to Woburn park it has escaped and bred readily in the wild. It has spread widely in south England and into the midlands.
Can easily be found in most woodland.
Chinese Water Deer - Hydropotes inermis
Introduced in the late 1800's to Whipsnade and Woburn. Escaped animals have spred east and the population is slowly increasing it prefers fens and boggy woodland.
Found only in East anglia and the eastern midlands.
American Mink - Mustela vison
Released from fur farms in it has been present since the 1960's and has spread far and wide and had a devistating impact on native wildlife. They can be seen on many waterways.
Feral Goat - Capra hircus
A mixture of wild and escaped domestic stock, they can be found in Snowdonia, many places in Scottish Highlands particularly the west coast and Loch Lomond, Lundy, Valley of rocks, Devon, Cheddar Gorge, Great Orme, Mull of Kintyre, Portland, Jura.
The findhorn valley and the mine at Dinorwic, Snowdonia are good sites.
Red Necked Wallaby - Macropus rufogrieseus
Escaped from Zoos these marsupials have persisted in small colonies, helped with mild winters their numbers have risen but are still small.
Populations are present on the Isle of Man (the largest), Loch Lomond and around a few around Woburn.
Ferrett - Mustela furo
A few thousand persist on many of the Scottish islands, derived from escaped pets, there are also small numbers widespread through the UK.
Wild Boar - Sus scrofa
Probably should go in the reintroductions section, although the animals were not released as part of a programme of reintroduction but were escapes from farmed animals. They were hunted to extinction in the 1700's
Good populations exist in Exmoor, Sussex and the Forest of Dean.
Black Rat - Rattus rattus
Accidentally introduced from shipping and were common around docks, indeed recent sightings from Cornish docks are recent travellers. The only self sustaining population is now on the Shiant Island in Scotland which is being exterminated, the Lundy population was exterminated a few years ago.
Sark in the Channel Islands is the only place to see black rats in the British Isles.
Edible Dormouse - Glis glis
Introduced as far back as the romans for food the edible dormouse, it has only become established since the early 1900's when it was introduced into Tring park in Hertfordshire. They have not spread more than 50 miles from the original site as the habitat is isolated.
Black Tailed Prairie Dog - Cynomys ludovicianus
A small population is established in Northern Ireland, but as of 2010 has been eradicated, scattered indi.
Feral Dog - Canis familiaris
Widespread mainly in urban areas, although decreasing due to increased capture.
Feral Cat - Felis Catus
Widespread mainly in urban areas, more particularly in industrial / waste areas
Coati - Nasua nasua
A small population existed in the Lake District, they were present for several years but have not been seen for a couple of years.
Siberian Chipmunk - Tamias sibiricus
Commonly kept in zoos and as pets. Several small colonies have been founded all now eradicated, the last where they may still persist is in Berkshire although a trapping scheme was / is in place, but it is assumed they still persist in some sites with occasional sightings.
Raccoon - Procyon lotor
I have had little success in finding out about Raccoons in the UK there have been many escapes and rumours of breeding, the only confirmed breeding was in South Yorkshire and Somerset. One population persisted for four years before capture. There are scattered individuals present in the UK.
Coypu - Myocastor coypus
Escaped from fur farms in the 1930's and established themselves in East Anglia and the Norfolk Broads in particular, harsh winters had kept them in check but mild winters allowed the population to increase. An eradication programme sucessfully removed them by the early 1980's.
Muskrat - Ondatra zibethica
Escaped from fur farms in the early 1930's and established themselves in the Shrewsbury area and some parts of Scotland, an eradication scheme removed them fairly quickly by the end of the 1930's.
Mongolian Gerbil - Meriones unguiculatus
Commonly kept as pets it is no surprise that small colonies of these animals have been present in the UK, the largest and most persistant was a colony on the Isle of Wight which lasted for some years in the 1980's. Currently there are no major colonies.
Himalayan Porcupine - Hystrix hodgsonii
A small population was established in South Devon after escape from a wildlife park, breeding occured and the population increased they have now been removed but persisted for over 10 years in the 1970's. There are rumours of others possibly in Stoke or Wiltshire.
Golden Hamster - Mesocricetus auratus
Again kept as pets and many populations have come and gone, the largest was established in North London in the 1980's it persisted for some years and spread over a reasonable area. Currently there are no major colonies.
Crested Porcupine - Hystrix cristata
A few porcupines escaped in Staffordshire in the 1970's and a small population existed for several years before they disappeared, their fate unknown.
Striped Skunk - Mephitis mephitis
A small colony exists in the Forest of Dean, several sightings, photographs, CCTV fotage, a corpse and even a live animal capture, give real evidence to support this. Skunks can easily adapt to the UK climate conditions and are surprisingly commomly kept as pets. These are thought to be released pets, because since 2007 it has been illeagle to remove the scent gland making them less attractive as pets. Indeed I visited the site and found a skunk in 2009. There have been no sightings since 2013.
Greater White Toothed Shrew - Crocidura russula
Introduced to Co Tipperary, Ireland but it is not know when, only discovered in 2008 from owl pellet analysis. Their range is incresasing.
Bank Vole - Clethrionomys glareolus
Introduced into Southern Ireland in the 1950's it is now quite widespread.
About 25 year ago I lived out in Rowley past Consett. Someone had crashed my car at work (long story) and I had to get the bus to Lanchester and walk home to Rowley, about 6 miles, along some pitch black roads, no smart phone with a torch on in those days. A couple of weeks before this there had been a few big cat sightings in the dales around there. Fair to say that walk has probably taken 2 years off my life, not sure the human heart was designed to beat as fast as mine did that day 
Monty Pigeon
Striker
I've just seen an interview with a woman who has written a book about big cat sightings in southwest England. She points out that the most common sightings are of black leopards, yet black leopards are much more uncommon - both in the wild and captivity - than spotted leopards. Her conclusion, therefore, is that people aren't seeing big cats, but rather supernatural apparitions.
She asked the right question, but came up with the wrong answer.
Surely the reason so many black 'leopards' are seen is that there are millions of black domestic cats, and most sightings are mistaken identity. Domestic cats with rosettes are very rare and so valuable (£5000 for a good Bengal cat) they tend not to be let out the house.
She asked the right question, but came up with the wrong answer.
Surely the reason so many black 'leopards' are seen is that there are millions of black domestic cats, and most sightings are mistaken identity. Domestic cats with rosettes are very rare and so valuable (£5000 for a good Bengal cat) they tend not to be let out the house.
Big Jeff
Winger
What’s it called? I hope it’s a great name.
Georgewhitt
Midfield
Fat Pussy.
Big Jeff
Winger
What about the cat though?
Georgewhitt
Midfield
John the Savage
Winger
We could do with a few big cats in the wild to be honest, with the amount of wild Deer roaming about like Pat Mustard with no natural predators.
Has anyone on RTG eaten an edible dormouse?
Georgewhitt
Midfield
Shirley all dormice are edible?
Leon Solent
Striker
A few years ago a good friend of mine came round to my house and told me of his day's interesting event. He's late 50's, outdoor type, living in rural Hampshire and knowledgeable about wildlife. As he was driving to work at 05:30 through open countryside and he saw in full view what he thought was a large black dog sitting 30 yards away in a field with its back to him. He said he thought it odd that a black Lab should be there in the middle of nowhere with no-one else about. The 'black lab' turned its head through 180⁰ and looked back at him and he realised it wasn't a dog but a big cat. A black tail flicked over the cat's shoulder and then it was gone from view as he drove past.
I've no reason to doubt his story knowing the bloke and his background. I know that there is also little evidence to support the belief in the existence of big cats roaming the countryside. I think there is something in believing that a few lone animals can exist in isolation and undetected.
I've no reason to doubt his story knowing the bloke and his background. I know that there is also little evidence to support the belief in the existence of big cats roaming the countryside. I think there is something in believing that a few lone animals can exist in isolation and undetected.
Monty Pigeon
Striker
I was based in rural Hampshire for more than 30 years until last year. I did long walks most days, and was always on the lookout for wildlife tracks and other signs. A few of times I saw what seemed to be big cat prints, but never quite clear enough to be sure. I also found a fallow deer carcass that had been half eaten, but again there wasn't enough evidence.
The zoo I worked at was Marwell. We regularly got calls, and sometimes had to go out to check reported sightings, The only confirmed wild cat was the one from the Isle of Wight mentioned above.
Fortunately I was long gone from the zoo when this happened: How hunt for escaped tiger became a wild goose chase when beast turned out to be a TOY
Leon Solent
Striker
I know Marwell very well, living locally. The sighting I mentioned occurred in Lower Upham, just down the road. We were familiar with an area from Marwell, up through Winchester and Stockbridge to Middle Wallop. A lot of people and more than a few with 'big cat tales'. I suppose that's what keeps it alive.
