Expert adds to wildcat find debate
Wednesday 8th April 2009, 10:08AM BST.
A wildcat expert and author who discovered a sub-species in the 1990s today waded into the mystery of Shropshire’s own big cat – claiming it could be one of two mystery species native to Britain.
- See also: Is this proof of county big cat?
Di Francis, who helped prove the existence of Scotland’s first black wildcat – The Kellas – said the carcass of a large feline found by a Shrewsbury paramedic could be a species referred to as the “rabbit head”.
But the author said that although the pictures showed similarities with the rabbit headed cat – the animal’s huge tail meant it could even be a juvenile big cat which some researchers believe could have been native to Britain for thousands of years.
Ms Francis, who has produced several books including “The Beast of Exmoor: And Other Mystery Predators of Britain”, said new photographic evidence of the huge beast had recently come to light.
Ms Francis said the pictures taken by Terry Meagre, of Copthorne, appeared similar to a recent “rabbit head”, but she said it could also be the mystery large cat .
She said:”At first glance the riverside cat does resemble the ‘rabbit heads’.
“The interesting thing is the tail is quite long and longer than you would expect for a rabbit head. It might be the juvenile of the big cat because it also resembles a photo that has not yet been published of one that was found on a beach in Scotland.”
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It is all very well quoting so called ‘experts’ such as Di Francis and the infamous Phil Hoyle in your articles but I cant help feeling that you are pandering to the sensational!
How about quoting someone with an opposing opinion for once, maybe someone with a recognised qualification for a change? Surely this is what responsible journalism is all about?
Having done a little research myself, “proving the existence” seems a little misleading as all the information that I have read suggests that the mythical Kellas cats you are referring to are actually just a hybrid of wild and domestic cats. Likewise it seems likely that the “rabbit head” is not a species but a hybrid?
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I thought it was April 1st again when I read this. What/who is a “wildcat expert”. I served in Africa for many years, regularly had leopards in my back garden, shot a lion villagers complained about and that took some tracking, saw many of the cat family, large and small almost on a daily basis and went out on many a nightime escapade to identify smaller troublesome cats – cervals and similar by their red eyes gleaming in the darkness.
I have more knowledge of “big cats” than these two so called “experts” put together and that puts me on a par with my neighbour who’se experience of cats extends to the grey fluffy pussy that she continually allows to rake up my garden. Experts my foot. Sub-species, native to Britain for thousands of years – the men in white coats are needed by the sound of things.
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