Doubt Cast On Ayrshire Puma Sightings
[Original headline: Zoo chiefs rubbish big cat theory]
An expert has cast strong doubts on the existence of a puma running wild in Ayrshire.
Last week police, who were called out after terrified families reported 'screaming, screeching sounds' in Ardrossan, found themselves face to face with an animal they believed to be a puma.
Other sightings of the animal have been reported in nearby Dalgarven and Beith.
The Dalgarven sighting was by a motorist who claimed he saw a brown cat-like animal running across the A737 at Dalgarven Mill, days before the police sighting in Ardrossan.
Several people in Beith also said they spotted a large black cat on the outskirts of the town.
However, Paul Paterson, big cat keeper at Glasgow Zoo, said today: "The police in Ardrossan said the animal they believed was a puma was dark coated, about 3ft high with yellow eyes.
"But a puma is very different. The basic colouration is yellow-brown above and pale yellow brown underneath, while the average length of the body is 5.3ft.
"They range in height from 3.4ft to 4.7ft and will weigh about 120kg or 237lbs, while the eyes are dark in colour and cat-like, not yellow.
"That description is totally different to what these people and the police have seen.
"It is possible they did see a cat of some kind, but the chances of the animal being a puma are slim, although not impossible.
"Big cat sightings can be down to escapee cats from wildlife parks and zoos."
• Story originally published by:
Evening Times / Scotland | Martin Murray - Dec 30.02
Posted Dec 28.02
Sighting In Scotland Of Albino Big Cat
[Original headline: EXPERTS PROBE WHITE BIG CAT SIGHTING]
Experts are investigating the sighting of a large white cat in a Scots village.
John Smith and his wife Violet spotted the beast in a field near their home.
And John caught the cat on video - a first in Britain.
Now the British Big Cat Society are examining his grainy footage.
Business development manager John saw the five-foot beast half a mile away as he stood in his garden.
He rushed to get his video camera and zoomed in for close-ups.
John, of Cardrona, Peebles-shire, said: "I was shaking with excitement as the cat sprung from the field up on to the dyke.
"It was nothing like I'd ever seen before - really, really big and pure white."
Mark Fraser, of the BBCS, watched the video. He said: "If this was a black cat I would be certain it is a panther. But being white, this is very strange.
"From watching the video you can tell it is much bigger than a domestic cat.
"We'll make a copy of the tape and investigate further."
John spotted the beast on December 13.
A farmer complained of his horses being spooked the same weekend.
Scientist Phil Crosby, of Scottish Big Cats, viewed still images from John's camera.
He said: "This is definitely a big cat but at the moment it has me stumped.
"Pumas can be as light as silvery grey but this appears to be pure white. Even snow leopards have markings."
On Christmas Eve, the Record revealed how two cops were confronted by a large black cat in Ardrossan, Ayrshire.
• Story originally published by:
Daily Record / Scotland | Robert Fairburn - Dec 28.02
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