A big cat expert believes the mystery animal prowling North Wales farmland is almost certainly a black leopard.On Saturday police marksmen scoured parts of Anglesey following reports of a panther-like creature.Paw prints found in fields near Llanddona Beach are being examined by experts.Locals say several horses have been mysteriously injured over the past few weeks.Last night Danny Nineham, who examines big cat sightings for several police forces, said the patterns and nature of the horses' injuries were consistent with a black leopard.And he warned the big cat could present a danger to humans.Mr Nineham said it was unusual for a leopard to attack horses.He said: "Normally, there's a natural amount of prey around, things like squirrels, rabbits and deer. It's quite rare. It's difficult to attack horses, unless they're sleeping. But foals are easy prey and leopards are wily animals."Mr Nineham said he was contacted every day with reports of big cat sightings from across the country. He believed most were leopards.He said: "They've come from all over the place, travelling circuses through the years, private collectors."In the 1970s they were the in thing to keep as pets, but people had them and then got fed up with them."There are now breeding leopards in all parts of the country but it goes unreported."Unfortunately, it's going to take a child being killed before anybody does anything about it."Nigel Spencer, of Rutland and Leicestershire Panther Watch, turned his trip to North Wales into a busman's holiday after reading about the attacks in the Daily Post.He was enjoying a break in Caernarfon when he saw the report and he is now heading to Anglesey in a bid to find the beast.But, unlike Mr Nineham, he suspects the mystery cat may be a puma.He said: "There are hundreds of these cats right across the UK.
View: Full Article | Source: IC North Wales