greg64 2,741 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 42 minutes ago, Deker said: You are quoting pure speculation as fact, without a shred of evidence!! Even if we accept your hypothetical guesswork of 1 in 400 square miles it is inconceivable that no evidence has been found in our modern world. Add to that, a quick Google suggests 400 square miles to be at the very upper limit of a Panthers range, generally 200 square miles seems suggested, so that makes breeding more than a bit hopeful! Strange as it may seem to you, I do have an open mind on this, but why don't you actually post some of your alleged evidence? Your excuses for not doing so have worn more than thin. Is it any wonder there is more than a little scepticism! and that's just the black leopards that they think are in the uk Andrew hemming from the royal university of agriculture who also does tooth pit analysis who is one of the people i presume these figures come from also claims that there is the same amount of puma in the uk 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jukel123 7,868 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 Personally I wouldn't be surprised if there are lynx which have been released. Lots of dense forests with plenty of roe to harbour lynx. Good point about never having seen a Scottish wildcat. I've lived in Scotland over 50 years and I've spent a lot of time in the highlands. But I've never seem a Scottish wild cat, nor an adder, nor a capercaillie. I saw my first pine marten a few years back. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
greg64 2,741 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 6 minutes ago, jukel123 said: Personally I wouldn't be surprised if there are lynx which have been released. Lots of dense forests with plenty of roe to harbour lynx. Good point about never having seen a Scottish wildcat. I've lived in Scotland over 50 years and I've spent a lot of time in the highlands. But I've never seem a Scottish wild cat, nor an adder, nor a capercaillie. I saw my first pine marten a few years back. there are less Scottish wildcats in the wild than they claim to be big cats 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pewit 969 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 1 minute ago, greg64 said: there are less Scottish wildcats in the wild than they claim to be big cats And they have still been filmed and pictured, crazy isn't it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tatsblisters 9,117 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 2 minutes ago, jukel123 said: Personally I wouldn't be surprised if there are lynx which have been released. Lots of dense forests with plenty of roe to harbour lynx. Good point about never having seen a Scottish wildcat. I've lived in Scotland over 50 years and I've spent a lot of time in the highlands. But I've never seem a Scottish wild cat, nor an adder, nor a capercaillie. I saw my first pine marten a few years back. I was lucky to see one or i presumed it was a pure wildcat wile on an hawking holiday some years ago near Aviemore in a heather covered gully wile after rabbit's to flush for the hawks and a cat some distance away bounded out of the heather the thickness of it's tail was the first thing i noticed it was like a foxes brush and it's movement reminded me of the snow leopards i have seen in documentaries also it was very remote where we were with no human habitat near by so i ruled out the possibility of it being a domestic cat. 6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jukel123 7,868 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 (edited) You are lucky to have seen a Scottish wild cat.Spent literally hours watching snow leopards cubs one afternoon at Marwell zoo. A real treat even though they were captive bred. Really beautiful graceful cats. And totally silent. Big paws to disguise their approach in snow. Be good to live near a zoo. I'd have a year round pass and visit a couple of times a week. Edited August 21 by jukel123 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pewit 969 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 (edited) So, according to some, we have a population of at least 250 individual Panthers. We are talking a population here 2.5 X more than the population of the Amur Leopard, a subspecies that only a few years ago saw their numbers dwindling down to an estimated 30 odd individuals, in one of the most remote places on earth. These animals have been well documented and filmed, why on earth isn't this the case for UK big cats? Edited August 21 by Pewit Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pewit 969 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 8 minutes ago, jukel123 said: You are lucky to have seen a Scottish wild cat.Spent literally hours watching snow leopards cubs one afternoon at Marwell zoo. A real treat even though they were captive bred. Really beautiful graceful cats. And totally silent. Big paws to disguise their approach in snow. Be good to live near a zoo. I'd have a year round pass and visit a couple of times a week. That's if they are true Wild Cats, hybridization is a massive threat to the wild population. I hope real effort is being put in to keeping these pure and protected, an amazing creature. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tatsblisters 9,117 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 2 minutes ago, jukel123 said: You are lucky to have seen a Scottish wild cat.Spent literally hours watching snow leopards cubs one afternoon at Marwell zoo. A real treat even though they were captive bred. Really beautiful graceful cats. And totally silent. Big paws to disguise their approach in snow. Be good to live near a zoo. I'd have a year round pass and visit a couple of times a week. There was 4 of us who saw it on the day and we all said did you see that cat bounding away wile we were all stood talking a rabbit came down the hillside about 70 yds away being hunted by a stoat and the stoat nailed it just before the rabbit got to a small stream next thing a goshawk came past my head slipped by one of the lads that nailed the rabbit wile the stoat was killing it the stoat jumping away and scuttling away into the Heather it was one of them moments i will remember till the day i die and i gave the lad with the Gos some stick calling him the stoat mugger and he was from Pewits' neck of the country and as dry as snuff. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jukel123 7,868 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 Just now, Pewit said: That's if they are true Wild Cats, hybridization is a massive threat to the wild population. I hope real effort is being put in to keeping these pure and protected, an amazing creature. There's a repopulation project They've released captive bred cats into the wild. The way we're f***ing up the natural environment plus hybridisation I think its pissing in the wind tbh. They are also repopulating golden eagles into southern Scotland as well. But imo, that's misguided. If there were prey and habitat available, they would find their own way to the lowlands. Still, keeps people in jobs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jukel123 7,868 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 4 minutes ago, tatsblisters said: There was 4 of us who saw it on the day and we all said did you see that cat bounding away wile we were all stood talking a rabbit came down the hillside about 70 yds away being hunted by a stoat and the stoat nailed it just before the rabbit got to a small stream next thing a goshawk came past my head slipped by one of the lads that nailed the rabbit wile the stoat was killing it the stoat jumping away and scuttling away into the Heather it was one of them moments i will remember till the day i die and i gave the lad with the Gos some stick calling him the stoat mugger and he was from Pewits' neck of the country and as dry as snuff. Magical moment mate. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pewit 969 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 4 minutes ago, jukel123 said: There's a repopulation project They've released captive bred cats into the wild. The way we're f***ing up the natural environment plus hybridisation I think its pissing in the wind tbh. They are also repopulating golden eagles into southern Scotland as well. But imo, that's misguided. If there were prey and habitat available, they would find their own way to the lowlands. Still, keeps people in jobs. I think anything is worth the effort mate, if not, we might as well just give up. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bush Rummager 4,208 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 23 minutes ago, Pewit said: So, according to some, we have a population of at least 250 individual Panthers. It's down to 249 individuals now mate. We know what you're up to! 8 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pewit 969 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 1 minute ago, Bush Rummager said: It's down to 249 individuals now mate. We know what you're up to! Brilliant mate! This would be the best footage there is and that says it all. Lol 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bush Rummager 4,208 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 1 hour ago, jukel123 said: Personally I wouldn't be surprised if there are lynx which have been released. Lots of dense forests with plenty of roe to harbour lynx. Good point about never having seen a Scottish wildcat. I've lived in Scotland over 50 years and I've spent a lot of time in the highlands. But I've never seem a Scottish wild cat, nor an adder, nor a capercaillie. I saw my first pine marten a few years back. Minter did mention on a poddy a few episodes ago about some Lynx that were released when a small zoo closed at Matlock in Derbyshire some years ago now. I visited it years ago and remember seeing the Lynx in there. He spoke about them being released as though it was a known fact. How many were let go and where it happened I've no idea. There's been loads escape over the years too. Easy to find with a quick Google. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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