I admit that I’m about half skeptical.
I have always been skeptical about big cats, particularly when I once had a big black dog that could have easily been mistaken for a melanistic leopard.
But this seems to be the real deal.
Maybe.
But we’re still going to need a body.
Then we’ll be sure.
Well… the hairs might be real, but could they have been planted?
I hope not.
The CFZ operates in Devon, not far from where these hairs were found.
I seriously doubt that they would hoax anyone.
But I hope no one is trying to hoax them.
Some years ago, a skull and skeletal remains of a leopard were found in an old barn in England(which area?)– as if the animal had died and decomposed there. Did humans dump the body there? Could it have been a planted hoax? Could it represent an animal that had been living wild(escapee or release) and died of natural causes? All of these theories are certainly possible. Anyone involved(even as just an observer) in the exotic animal business is NOT suprised at what turns up regularly in unusual places–most exotic animal catalogs sell animals like big cats, wolves, bears, and primates(etc. etc. etc.!!!) for prices as low or lower than for your average purebred dog–I have seen many “free-to-good-home” adds for all kinds of demanding and potentially dangerous critters! I am personally not against private ownership of exotic animals(for responsible, dedicated, knowledgable people), but there is no question it needs to be better regulated! What is miraculous is that we do not have MORE incidents and breeding populations of exotics out there! And I do not doubt some individual animals do survive for awhile, and die on their own without positive discovery, and account for a lot of these sightings. But established breeding populations? That is more doubtful(except in Florida, of course!)–if we DO eventually get some, and WHEN(not “if”, but WHEN–as it WILL happen–check out the “Cougar Network” website!) cougars back in the East, we will have a 24/7 detector operating at all times to verify it(alas), and this is our unbelievable network of highways and roads….Wherever cougars are re-establishing, you sadly do get the occaisional roadkill–ditto for any other substantial population of critters. That’s one of the things about the mysterious big cat sightings in England, Australia, and America that perplexes me–IF there were very many surviving(and breeding), you absolutely should be getting the occaisional roadkill to verify this. Not very scientific or appealing, but that’s reality in the modern world with wild animals and highways….
Not so long ago me and my friend spotted a big leopard exactly the same as this one, we were a fair distance away. We’re just lucky it didn’t see us! We saw it in some woods in Great Harwood. I am told that there have been many sightings in the ribble valley area in which Great Harwood is situated. But these cats are truly dazzling. :D