The Truth is Out There

Recent news has suggested that the question of 'beasts' on Dartmoor has been definitively answered in the negative. But not everyone agrees.

Posted in May 2008, this piece of video has caught the attention of an American TV production company, Base Productions.

They've put together a six-person team, led by former FBI special agent Ben Hansen who'll be visiting DZP to interview staff for opinions of this and other sightings. They'll also be gathering physical evidence such as big cat prints, faeces and fur, to take into the field to aid their investigations.

The team of investigators will be accompanied by Danny Bamping, founder of the British Big Cats Society.

The BBCS published the results of a survey in 2004 which collected data from The NFU, several police forces and wildlife organisations from across the country. It ranked the South West very highly for big cat sightings and stongly suggested that the government take the phenomenon more seriously.

The general opinion among those that know here at DZP is that there is little question that in the past, big cats of one kind or another have found their way into the wilds of Britain. However, whether they have been able to survive and, more importantly, breed healthy offspring is a much harder question to answer.

However slim the chances of a healthy population of big cats on the moor, it's worth taking these sightings seriously. If there are big cats out there today, then it's a population that's survived against incredible odds and therefore deserving of study and support.

Big Cats on Dartmoor!

According to Plymouth Herald: Britains environment watchdog has ruled out the existence of big cats in the wilds of the Westcountry, despite countless sighting claims by members of the public.

Natural England said it was "confident that there is no breeding population of big cats" in the UK after releasing a list of the exotic species reported to it by the public.

As an animal keeper for many years, it is innevitable that i have run into this debate before. Whilst working in the midlands i was called upon by local police forces, on several occassions, to help with reports of "big cat" sightings. I would accompany them to the scene of the sighting and check for evidence. I have found spoor, (feaces), scratch marks, foot prints and fur on many of the sites but i cannot confirm that any of the evidence found came from a big cat.

Before the 1970's the law on keeping a big cat, such as Lion or Tiger, was very relaxed. Anyone could keep a Lion in their garden as long as it was caged! My partners family lived just around the corner from such an owner who kept his Lion on the front lawn! The local children would walk past it on their way to school.

Since then the law has changed dramatically. The Dangerous Wild Animal Act, (DWA), was introduced in the early 70's to stop the trend of keeping big cats as pets and forced owners to house their cats, and other dangerous animals, properly. Proper, safe enclosures were needed with adequate room and a licence was needed to own such an animal.

This new law prompted an influx of animals being given away to zoo's, but worst of all, some of those that couldn't afford to comply with the new regulations would release their animals into "the wild". Exmoor was the first place to have a "big cat" sighting. A black Panther, (Leopard). Thought to be an illegally released cat in the 70's. Since then hundreds of sightings came in to various police forces all across the country. Dartmoor being one of them. Over the past 30 years many sightings have been reported across Dartmoor, Bodmin moor and Exmoor. Each area boasting their own "beast of"

While the original cats of the seventies will all be dead now, is it possible that some crossed eachothers paths and produced offspring? We cannot discount this, but, in my personal opinion, i think unlikely. Many sightings are fake, many just mis-identified. Yet the sightings still come. Are they the offspring, escapee's, illegally bred releases? Reports across Britain still come in from time to time but Natural England say there is no breeding population of big cats in the UK. Where have they come from? Where is the evidence? Who knows for sure?

What do you think?

Are there big cats roaming Dartmoor? Have you seen what you believe to be a big cat? Let us know you views.