Big cats in the wild.

andy · Post by **andy** » 20 Jul 2006, 23:23

Has anyone on here everhad a real life encounter, or sighting of a wild cat?

We had one in our front garden this morning.
There was a brief thunderstorm at 4am, and the border collie started yapping. I got up and looked out of the window, and right in the middle of the drive was the most magnificent feline I have ever seen.

Grey with vertical Tiger like stripes, pointed ears about 3 times the size of the ears of a domestic cat. The creature was about the size of a Boxer dog. The front paws were about four inches across, and the forelegs about the thickness of my arm.
This was no domestic cat. We have kept several cats at a time for over 30 years, and I know their body language. When they are in their local territory, they travel in a straight line from a to b, and they use their ears to listen to the sounds around them.
This cat was very different. She was starting on a path, and would then stop and turn around. Then change direction, then change her mind. She was very nervous, and her head was moving from side to side as she travelled. Definately out of her territory.

I have searched the internet today, for something similar, and the only thing I can find is the British wild cat.

Foxes are common in our front garden, but this was a first, and definately worth getting up for. The dog got an extra biscuit tonight.

blanston12 · Post by **blanston12** » 20 Jul 2006, 23:42

I have seen Lions in Africa, but then we were there on vacation and went out looking for them.

In california I have seen a Mountian lion (cougars) in one of our local state parks while hiking. It fortunalty it was on the far side of a clearing.

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 20 Jul 2006, 23:49

Bit like this Steve?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3659359.stm

(but with of an "Eh up, whats tha doing?" than an "Och-eye the noo" miaow?)

migeater0 · Post by **migeater0** » 20 Jul 2006, 23:50

I did a peice on my GCSE english about these.

http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~pga/feline/bigcats.html

Weird sods, a guy from work has seen one, and the damage it did to a horse on the New Forest.

andy · Post by **andy** » 21 Jul 2006, 00:02

Toby, that is VERY similar. The cat didn't appear to be very old, but there was a lot of loose skin at the rear of the fore legs and under the belly.

Maybe the recent heat has disorientated the creature.

Ain't done a lot for me.

petermcleland · Post by **petermcleland** » 21 Jul 2006, 10:53

I liked to photograph game in Kenya...here are my favourite two lion shots:-

This is a young pair who have no cubs yet.

These two old males have no pride to live with and no female mates to do their hunting so they have got together to hunt for survival

andy · Post by **andy** » 21 Jul 2006, 11:59

Great shots,Peter.

Proper cats.

DispatchDragon · Post by **DispatchDragon** » 21 Jul 2006, 13:52

We have the big tan coloured variety in the mountains at the end of my road (cougars) they are being pushed back further and further though which is both a blessing and a sadness

Peter -- is that the Mara?? I madeTreeTops once in four years of going through Nairobbery, it was the experience of a lifetime

Leif

petermcleland · Post by **petermcleland** » 21 Jul 2006, 15:52

DispatchDragon wrote:We have the big tan coloured variety in the mountains at the end of my road (cougars) they are being pushed back further and further though which is both a blessing and a sadness

Peter -- is that the Mara?? I madeTreeTops once in four years of going through Nairobbery, it was the experience of a lifetime

No Leif,

I took those over in that big game park bordering the South West edge of the airport...In fact, one night a B707 of South African Airways touched its wheels in there on pulling out from a plunge through the ILS. He climbed away again but now minus his ILS aerials and also with now retracted wheels which wouldn't come down again. To cap it all, he had insufficient fuel to divert and the cloud base was 200 feet!

Lucky for him, the controller on duty was ex R.A.F. and was able to give him a fighter type QGH (controlled descent). This approach would not normally suffice for cloud base much lower than 1000 feet, but Ron Garside, the controller managed to get him down and aligned with the runway in good time...The B707 made a wheels up landing on the centre line of the runway and slid it's entire length. He just went about 50 metres off the far end, with no fire or casualties.

I remember seeing the gouges that his wheels cut into the game park...I don't suppose that game reserve exists now :think:

DispatchDragon · Post by **DispatchDragon** » 21 Jul 2006, 16:19

Thanks Peter

I believe I know where your talking about = wasnt just a 707 that left a
mark there - the first time I ever went in there you could still see a HUGE
burnt area a certain Lufthansa 747 made - We have a Captain flying for us
here at Allegiant who grew up there and learned to fly at Wilson - so Ill ask her what the name of the preserve - her family are fourth generation
Kenyans going back to the "old days"....Not sure what your opinion on female PICs are - but Ive noticed over the years that with one exception (Liz Overbury) they have all tended to be short and feisty. I think the park exsisted in the early 70s as you could sit at the Pan Afric Hotel at night (which was on the Southeast side of the town and hear lions even then.

As usual thank you for the memories

Leif