Freedom of Information leads to fresh rumours of big cats loose in Cambridgeshire

Fri 3 Jan 2014

• UK
• Cambridgeshire

Police have been contacted about eight big cat sightings since 2010. Photo: ITV News Anglia

For decades there have been reports of large wild cats roaming the Cambridgeshire countryside.
Now, in response to a freedom of information request, the police have revealed that they've been contacted about eight sightings since 2010.

There have been fresh reports of big cats roaming the Cambridgeshire countryside. Credit: ITV News Anglia

However, not all people are convinced about the sightings.
Rebecca Willers, the curator of Shepreth Wildlife Park, is sceptical about the evidence that big cats are living wild.

Rebecca Willers isn't convinced about the sightings. Credit: ITV News Anglia

"There's no reason why they couldn't survive, but I think it's possible that we would have seen more actual sightings.
Especially by dog walkers at night."

– Rebecca Willers, Shepreth Wildlife ParkIn 1994 a video capturing a mysterious beast was shot near Peterborough.

A video of a mysterious beast was shot in 1994. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Recent sightings in Cambridgeshire include a very large wild cat seen at Little Eversden in 2010 and a Puma type animal running across a garden in Upwood in 2011.
There was also a report that a large wild cat had been attacking pet cats in the village of Great Shelford just outside Cambridge.

The eight sightings detailed in the Freedom of Information request. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Big cat expert Ken Sims from Norfolk has been investigating sightings for many years, and he says that it is plausible that big cats could sneak under the radar.

Ken Sims believes that big cats could be out there. Credit: ITV News Anglia

"There's so much prey for them, such as Rabbits and a lot of Deer.
They're largely nocturnal anyway, and with the majority of the population living in urban areas, they could go undetected."

– Ken Sims, Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens

Staff at Shepreth Wildlife Park say none of their big cats are missing, but experts say if any have been released or escaped from private collections it's just possible that wild cats are out there.

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