This piece was sent in by Neil Arnold and concerns the sightings of big cats (panthers, etc) within the County of sussex & Kent. Whilst it is not really fitting to be placed under the term 'Oddities', until such sightings are proven with either a carcass or other evidence, I feel this is the best place for now.

 

I am personally inclinded to believe that these sightings are indeed true and there are large predatory cats roaming our countryside. However, you decide for yourself.........

 

For more than ten years KENT BIG CAT RESEARCH has monitored the population of exotic cats which are inhabiting the wilds of the South-East. Whilst Sussex and its bordering counties are haunted by spectral black dogs, phantom hitchhikers and tales of dragons, I have not only rescued the ‘big cats’ from the realms of folklore, but successfully and methodically investigated eye-witness reports and evidence of exotic felines roaming the area.

 

 

And more so, with the animals intentions in mind. Large felines such as Black Leopard, Puma and Lynx have roamed Sussex at least since the 1960s although much of my collated evidence suggests that many of these species have inhabited the countryside since the beginning of the 1900s. Sightings are far more in abundance during the present due to the fact that there is a more widespread interest in the phenomenon, which, by some, is still regarded as myth, although these elusive and adaptable creatures are leaving many signs such as paw-prints, eaten livestock and scratch marks on trees which cannot be attributed to the native badger.

 

The ‘beasts’ of Bodmin and Exmoor made the headlines, and good headlines they were, but the South-East is just as active in its cat-flaps. The melanistic Leopard (Black Panther) can reach up to five-feet in length, climb trees and omit a deep sawing cough. It stands around twenty to twenty-four inches at the shoulder and has a long hooked tail. During the 1960s such an animal was observed all over Sussex, especially in the heavily wooded areas of Ashdown Forest although recently the territory has expanded to areas such as Crowborough, Southborough and even Royal Tunbridge Wells.

The Puma (Mountain Lion, Cougar) is a similar sized feline yet fawn-buff coloured although its coat can appear silvery-grey. This beautiful cat has a soaring cry that can drift across valleys, and such an animal has been sighted from Uckfield to Battle to Hayward’s Heath.

 

 

Many people have kept these animals as pets, especially during the swinging ‘60s and ‘70s when it was fashionable to do so. During the year of 1976 the Dangerous Wild Animals Act was passed which meant that owners of these exotics had to pay huge license fees to keep their cats, or else give them up. Many people opted for the third option – they let them go. However, before this law was enforced many cats had already escaped from inadequate facilities.

 

And now, with the millennium gone, these animals have become almost native, preying on rabbits, foxes, pheasants, rodents, domestic cats and livestock. Sightings certainly build up although these animals are shy creatures, at times curious, but any offspring will certainly be 100 % wild and that is where the concern lies for many. With mating couples producing between two to four cubs, these agile felines can exist without aggravation – except from the lumbering members of public.

 

Lynx also inhabit Sussex. These leggy, short-tailed cats have been sighted at Newick and surrounding areas of Crawley, although the fact is, not many witnesses realise what they are seeing. Many other smaller cats such as Caracal and Jungle Cat can exist almost without detection, hiding on the marshes and hunting during nocturnal hours. The only ‘big’ cat which inhabits Sussex is the Black Leopard. The Puma is merely a Lesser Cat although the largest of the group. There is no need for any hysteria to be stirred by false reports of Lions and Tigers on the prowl.

 

Whilst many cat sightings can be taken with a pinch of salt there are also many reports which are very reliable, not only in regards to the witness but also detail, especially with close encounters. Misidentification may well occur, but many people realise what they are seeing, and these cats, especially the larger species, are nothing like our friendly domestic cat, and certainly cannot be mistaken for foxes.

 

Sussex, like Kent, is a rural establishment which can easily provide enough cover for a handful of exotic cats, despite the intrusions and constructions of humans. Whilst considered man-eaters in their countries of origin (although much of this panic is hysterical) the Leopard is very much at home here, although sightings of the more known rosette-marked variety are rare.

 

 

Melanism occurs in a number of cats, but the Black Leopard seems to be the most commonly sighted large feline in the South-East. When seen in the right light conditions the rosette pattern is evident, although there are some who believe that the coats of these animals are pure black, and that the animals we are dealing with may be Black Puma although these animals in their countries of origin are rare.

 

The felines which roam Sussex, and any other county in Britain, must become protected otherwise we will grow to fear them as we did the wolves and the wild boar. Indeed, many locals want these animals hunted and killed, although tracking each individual is nigh on impossible. However, should you encounter a feline of this nature, do not provoke, corner or injure it.

 

An animal like the Mountain Lion has a vast territory, but it would seem that many local felines are marking out a territory certainly not as vast as one would imagine. With rabbits and other prey in abundance, many of these cats can skirt hedgerows and, stalking pheasants as well as invading farm yards. These silent predators kill to eat, not out of spite and certainly are not messy killers. Bones, heads and innards are consumed and crunched, and the cat will then lay up somewhere or bask in the sunlight. Many people do not realise just how many cats inhabit Britain. Estimations are inaccurate, and in twenty or so years time rural areas of Sussex and other counties will not exactly be teeming with foxes, as these cats may provide a slight imbalance in the food-chain.

 

 

Remember – it is not their fault they are there and they ARE large predators, and all the time they are either dismissed, hunted or amateurishly ‘tracked’ they will never be recognised as a beautiful species that can exist in Britain’s woodlands.

 

If you see a large cat in Sussex email Neil Arnold at: neilthemod@blueyonder.co.uk

 

Further information can be read at: www.roadghosts.com

 

 

GOTO Neils Updated Report Here

 

 

 

 

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