I’ve just finished reading Ben’s Zoo by Benjamin Mee.
He relates how he was driving back to his zoo (in 2007/8, near the 24/12 course in Devon) when him and his passengers had a clear siting of a puma. They rushed back to the zoo expecting to find one of his animals missing and they were both there. The older keepers weren’t surprised and told him that the wild pumas off the moors were attracted by the on-heat caged pumas – there was often evidence of wild pumas having visited the zoo.
So I’d accept that as a sighting from people who know exactly what a puma looks like. He could even pinpoint it as a young male.
boriselbrus – Member
if they’re out there they have to eat, sh1t and walk and after 2 months going around Exmoor and Bodmin there was no evidence at all.
^^ that’s the normal response – no sightings, poo or tracks = no big cats. The other way to look at it is that very few people in the UK actually venture into a puma’s territory or know what they’re looking at. I’d guess that the majority of people in the UK have never seen a live wild badger or otter, but that certainly doesn’t mean that they aren’t there? Most people don’t wander around looking at poo or footprints so that sort of evidence is going to be very rare.
I’d suggest that a handful of wardens may never see any evidence of cats because you are looking at such a large area and such a small number of experts. AND presumably, a miniscule population of cats.
Two of my fellow MTBers – educated and intelligent types – have related to me how they saw lynx type animals in forests in south Wales.
Sorry for the ramble, I’m trying to type this in work!