Wild big cat problem growing in the UK

[feejer222]

It has been known for years that there are big cats living wild in the UK, mainly in the south. These are the result of irresponsible owners letting them go free. There is now a growing problem with sheep attacks and reprts of mothers with cubs indicating that they are breeding. It would seem that the only big cats that have not been seen are lions & tigers, puma's being the most common.

LINK

A big cat attack on David Beckham's estate leaves only the sheeps head.

BECKHAM PUMA ATTACK

 

[Toecutter]

Maybe the Bengal can make a comeback in the UK....

 

[madmike2]

Hopefully someone is on the lookout whilst the kiddies run the beach during holiday. Not a very soothing thought for those who live in the areas mentioned. Too bad they can't punish those who have released the cats into the wild.

There are news reports every year regarding "meetings" of humans and mountain lions in the Sierra foothills near my home. As the population encroaches on their territory, the cats lose hunting area. Uh, the cats usually "win" during confrontations...then they lose because they are destroyed.

 

[feejer222]

Over the last 10 years it has developed from a 'loch ness monster' type story to solid fact with amateur videos and photos usually of panthers. No one has caught one yet, but it will happen sooner or later, or someone will be attacked, then the authorities will take it seriously. In the 70's a new law was introduced stopping people from keeping such exotic animals as pets, this is when they were all released.

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

It is pretty unlikely that a human will be attacked. Pumas are pretty much the same animal as a cougar, aka mountain lion. They rarely attack humans, especially when there is ample food (sheep) around.

That is pretty amazing...I would have never thought about big cats in England!

Now, Dover and Somerset are both areas that I have family. I'll have to chat with them about this :lol:

 

[feejer222]

I live in the North West and am well away from the areas that they are seen. If I was down there and had kids I would be paranoid.

 

[madmike2]

Some years ago, maybe 5 (?) a female jogger, on a jogging trail, was taken by a "cat" in Auburn, CA. A couple years later one was found in a tree in the backyard of a home in Folsom. 10 years ago I worked with a man who lived on the Southeast side of Folsom lake and they lost a pygmie goat and the family (little) dog. The county brought in a tracker who unfortunately had to kill the mother but trapped the cubs and gave them to a zoo.

It happens. Again, when the polpulace decides to move to the rural areas and expect the same safety one has in the developed areas...... Completely different from a scenario whre people have released wild cats that have now gone "feral". Really bad juju!

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

well, these cougar attack reports seem to show my opinion to be incorrect. I thought they mostly attacked smaller people (kids and petite women). Not so. Quite a few larger guys get attacked, and sometimes two people were attacked!

https://users.frii.com/mytymyk/lions/attacks3.htm

 

[madmike2]

I was in error. The lady I reported killed was in 1994 (my age is telling on me.)

https://tchester.org/sgm/lists/lion_attacks_ca.html

and this one for California is in "chart" form:

https://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/issues/lion/attacks.html

 

[juniorfjr]

And in the fine state of Washington their population is quickly rising. The people, have voted to disallow the hunting with hounds and now the cats have no natural predators to intimidate them. My hunting partner killed one 3 years ago that was only 50 yards away, on a perch overlooking the road they were walking. He measured 7 ft nose to tip of tail and was not intimidated by two hunters. He does look good on the wall.

 

[Toecutter]

The people, have voted to disallow the hunting with hounds and now the cats have no natural predators to intimidate them.

In CA, back in (I think) 1990 or thereabouts, voters passed a ballot proposition that made mountain lions, although not endangered or even threatened, a "Specially Protected Species". No hunting allowed at all, except by Fish & Game officials or State-contracted professionals in cases of dangerous predation. I fought like mad to get it defeated, to no avail. Now, I guess I'm thankful for it, as there are way fewer deer to run into, now that the cat population has no management other than disease and starvation. Not political, just facts.

 

[feejer222]

Scary stories. In the USA you have much bigger areas for these animals to roam, it's up to the people whether or not they want to go into these areas. Here these animals are no more than 20 miles from any town in the south of the UK. They have been photographed on the peripheries of housing estates. Hikers and campers are extremely likely to run into them. From what I have read above I think an attack on a human is way overdue here.