Creatures, Myths & Legends

Police called over UK black panther sighting

By T.K. Randall
July 22, 2016 ·  7 comments

Is there a panther on the loose near Bolton ? Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 Rute Martins The 'alien big cats' phenomenon, which concerns sightings of large predatory cats roaming the British countryside, has generated a great deal of intrigue and debate over the years.

There can be little doubt that these animals exist as, in addition to evidence such as footprints and mutilated livestock, big cats have even been captured alive in the UK on more than one occasion.

Many researchers believe that the presence of these animals can be primarily attributed to exotic pet owners deliberately releasing them in to the wild, something that became a lot more common following the introduction of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act in 1976.The most recent incident, which occurred on Wednesday, saw police officers being called out near Radcliffe to investigate reports of a large black cat chasing deer in the local area.

No trace of the creature could be found, however from a description provided by the witness it appeared as though it may have been a panther - a particularly large and dangerous cat.

"Remember to check your doors and windows before you go to bed," the police department wrote in a tongue-in-cheek Tweet. "We wouldn't like you to be a victim of burglars or black panthers."

Source: Bolton News | Comments (7)

Tags: Panther, Alien Big Cat