Almost 6,000 Big Cat Sightings in UK Since 2000
More than 10,000 sightings of unusual and exotic animals have been reported in the UK since 2000 and the figure is set to grow, according to a study released today.
The reported sightings include 5,931 big cats, 332 wild boars and 3,389 sharks in British waters.
The British Big Cat Society has reported a dramatic increase in big cat sightings in recent years, with 2004-5 figures already up 3.5% on the previous year's study.
Hundreds of creatures usually found in the zoo or the jungle are sighted every week up and down the country, it found.
As a result of climate change, zoo thefts and animal escapes, it is no longer uncommon to see animals such as panthers, leopards, exotic snakes and racoons in the UK, experts claim.
Animal sightings since 2000 also include 51 wallabies, 13 dangerous spiders, including a tarantula and a Black Widow, 13 racoons, 10 crocodiles, seven wolves, three pandas, two scorpions, and one penguin.
Chris Mullins, founder and co-ordinator of Beastwatch UK, who compiled the data, said: "It is clear the UK contains far more exotic wild animals than the British public could ever imagine."
It seems though that some areas of the country are more attractive to unusual animals than others.
The south west is the big cat hotspot, with Devon, Cornwall and Somerset among the top 10 counties for sightings.
More than one hundred wild boar can be found inhabiting Kent and East Sussex, while Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire have populations of wallabies, with nearly 30 sightings in recent years.
Unusual wild inhabitants of Leicestershire include numerous racoons, according to recorded sighting, and Oban in Scotland is home to several monkeys.
Carolyn Spivey, senior brand manager at Disney - which has released a DVD called The Wild and teamed up with leading conservation organisations to look at the number of exotic wild animals at large in the UK - said the organisation was thrilled to be part of this research and was completely overwhelmed by the statistics.
Press Association: 18th September 2006
