A Northamptonshire big cat tracker has explained how panthers and other large animals could remain hidden in the UK countryside, saying they may cover vast distances and move mainly at night.
Chris, 47, who is part of a group investigating possible sightings of big cats in Britain, said the animals could use railway routes and disused lines to travel without being seen.
“There’s no reason why such animals can’t live in this country. I don’t believe there’s that many of them,” he said.
Chris said he did not believe large numbers of big cats were roaming Britain, suggesting they could travel up to about 50 miles a day before resting during daylight hours and hunting at night.
“They use disused railways, used railways to get around just so we don’t see them. They’ll move around that way, sleep during the day and go hunting at night,” he said.
He acknowledged that he had never personally seen a big cat in the wild, but said he remained convinced that the animals were present and would continue tracking them.
“I’ve never seen one personally, but I’ll keep tracking them. It’s a passion of mine. And I do believe they’re out there. And this is what we’re trying to prove,” Chris said.
He also questioned whether any big cats in Britain could be descended from animals released by private owners during the 1970s, potentially establishing breeding colonies.
“Are they still being [released] illegally in this country? Is somebody out there doing it still?” he said. “Or are they still breeding from back in the 1970s when they were released?”
Chris said the group’s aim was not to hunt the animals but to protect them if they were found to be living in the wild.
“This is what we’re tracking them for. And we do, we want to protect them as well. We don’t want to hunt them. We want them to thrive here,” he said.
