Could County Big Cats be Off-Spring of Zoo Escapee
A SCARY sighting of big piercing eyes and a glossy black coat has been enough to convince even sceptics that Lincoln- shire's legendary big cats do exist.
Now former zookeeper Keven James (45) has come up with a new theory as to why there are so many glimpses of big black cats in the wild.
Figures compiled by the British Big Cats Society showed 55 reported sightings in Lincolnshire between April 2004 and July 2005, of which 35 were of 'black panthers'.
Mr James, who grew up in Wragby, emigrated to Australia in 1988 and has worked as a paramedic near Brisbane ever since.
But in the late 1970s he worked at Sotby Zoo Farm, near Wragby.
Mr James told the Echo that when the zoo closed down more than 25 years ago a female black panther was released into the wild - and could have mated with other panthers set free by their owners.
"The panther from the zoo farm must be long dead but I believe it was responsible for many of the sightings during the intervening years," said Mr James.
"I also believe that if there are continued sightings and evidence of a panther in the area it is not beyond belief that my panther is possibly the mother of the present animals being sighted.
"Her breeding partner may have escaped or been released from a zoo."
Mr James said that the zoo owner had tried to sell or re-home the assorted animals, including a camel, zebra, giraffe and two racoons plus various monkeys and exotic birds.
Most of the animals were found new homes except for an elderly male lion, which was shot and buried on the farm.
"The panther, the racoons and the birds were released into the wild," said Mr James.
"We came to work the next morning to find the cages empty and we were sworn to secrecy.
"We kept silent as we did not want the alternative which was that the panther would be shot.
"The owner acted in the best interests of the creatures involved and I don't believe the public were ever at risk." As reported in the Echo in March this year, Peggy Simmons, who manages Lowfields Country Retreat, near Eagle, had seen a big black cat roaming the area several times.
"I think it's perfectly credible that these big cats will breed in the wild if they're let out of captivity," she said.
"Once you've seen one you know for certain it's a panther - you can't mistake them. When I lived in Leicester I saw one walking along a motorway bridge."
lincs echo
Lincolnshire Echo: 4th December 2006
