Fresh reports of suspected big cat sightings have emerged across Gloucestershire, with a local big cat researcher claiming to have received several accounts from shocked witnesses in recent weeks.
Rick Minter, host of the Gloucestershire-based Big Cat Conversations podcast, was commenting after a recent social media report of a large black cat described in Whiteshill.
According to Minter, the woods and forest edges around Whiteshill have generated descriptions of large cats — most commonly resembling black leopards — over many years.
“Any large cat in the area would be interested in deer as the main prey, and could have a territory of 20–30 square miles, or even larger for a male,” he said.
Minter said he had received two further independent reports from southern Gloucestershire during the past fortnight.
“Both described black panthers, one going at speed, the other in roaming mode,” he said. “These were in very different locations but both around 10 miles from Whiteshill.”
He also said he had recently spoken to two separate informants in northwest Wiltshire. One reportedly described seeing a black leopard close by while driving in the very early morning after first light, while another, five days later and around 10 miles away, said they watched a similar animal in their car headlights.
“If this was the same animal, it helps show the direction of travel,” Minter said.
The reports add to a collection of Gloucestershire accounts featured on recent and previous editions of Big Cat Conversations.
One earlier witness described walking beside the disused canal near Chalford one evening when a deer suddenly ran towards him before turning and jumping across the narrow canal.
The witness said the deer struggled to clear the gap and disappeared into cover on the opposite bank.
Moments later, according to the account, a black panther followed in pursuit, effortlessly jumping the canal before disappearing after the deer.
Minter believes such encounters could happen largely unseen, particularly because big cats would be expected to be most active when there are fewer people around.
“This is an example of what will be happening in our local landscapes, mostly well away and out of sight, as these cats seek out their prey, and often at dawn and dusk and through the night, with very few people about,” he said.
He believes the animals described as “black panthers” are likely to be leopards exhibiting melanism — a black colour variation.
“They are highly adaptable, and two mating black adults produce black offspring,” he said.
