Filmmakers have uncovered a path cam picture exhibiting a ‘large cat’ stalking Britain which might be a uncommon ‘pumapard’ – a cross between a puma and a leopard. The massive feline was snapped within the Kent countryside and its neck muscle, ear form and tail will not be that of a home, consultants say.
It is believed it might be the latest proof of massive cats within the UK – and might be a uncommon dwarf breed referred to as a pumapard. They are a cross between a leopard and a puma or cougar – and have beforehand been born in captivity.
The picture, taken in 2013, has been unearthed by makers of the brand new documentary ‘Panthera Britannia Declassified’ It has the consultants cut up – with a number of claiming it exhibits one thing completely different to your typical pet moggy.
Prof Andrew Hemmings of the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester mentioned its dimensions counsel it isn’t a home cat. He mentioned: “The developed neck musculature and curvature of the tail each counsel one thing aside from Felis Catus.
“Scaling is difficult but this does not appear to be of adult leopard size. It is however entirely plausible that populations of leopard-sized felids could have become smaller over multiple generations, maybe in response to natural genetic selection imposed by a prey-base of smaller animals such as rabbits. It would make good evolutionary sense to adapt to a plentiful, low-risk species such as the rabbit.”
A pumapard is a hybrid of a cougar/puma and a leopard. Both male cougar with feminine leopard and male leopard with feminine cougar pairings have produced offspring.
In basic, these hybrids have exhibited an inclination to dwarfism. One principle of how large cats arrived in Britain is the unregulated unique pet commerce of the final days of the Empire.
Leopards have been imported from Africa and Asia and pumas or cougars from the Americas. Experts consider each species being launched into our countryside.
Appearing within the documentary skilled animal tracker Rhoda Watkins, speculates that this might presumably be a ‘pumapard’. Sarah Hartwell, proprietor of web site ‘MessyBeast’ mentioned: ”The puma and leopard hybrids have been smaller than both guardian, however most appeared to have died as juveniles so we do not know their ultimate dimension.
“The ear shape is the big giveaway. Big cats all have rounded ears. ‘Domestics (and their relatives in the Lybica family) have triangular ears – wide at the base and narrowing at the tip.”
Famous monster hunter and star of Animal Planet’s hit TV collection ‘Finding Bigfoot’, James “Bobo” Fay agrees with Prof. Hemmings: “I’ve seen 4 mountain lions up to now month; I see them on a regular basis in California.
“It possesses characteristics associated with the North American cougar. It’s definitely not a bobcat. The tail looks cougar-like to me and it seems more muscular than a domestic cat, but my overall impression is that I’m looking at a large domestic dominant hybrid.”
Big cat researcher Kevin Steele runs the ‘Real Big Cats in Kent’ group on Facebook. Kevin mentioned: “There have been numerous sightings of big cats in Kent now over several decades. I know the location where the photo was taken and sightings are reported from that area quite often.”
The documentary ‘Panthera Britannia Declassified’ by Dragonfly Films is available to purchase and lease on Amazon Prime, iTunes and Google TV.
