Big Cats in Britain Press Release

May 2007

Picture by Sky Jaguar

Latest Press Release

Search for mystery cat.

The BCIB have backed an appeal to landowners and gamekeepers throughout Scotland to help in the hunt for a mystery black cat about the size of a Scottish wildcat. To date three bodies of this cat species have been discovered and a historical reference dating to the 1930's found. Unlike the popularly named Kellas cat, which is simply a black form of wildcat, this animal appears to be unlike any known species of feline. The shape of the head is long and narrow, with a small cranium for the skull size. It has a very large Roman nose and extremely long canine teeth. Specimens obtained to date have been provided by gamekeepers in the course of their duties.

Author Di Francis has requested that any such cat caught alive is not killed but kept secure until the animal can be sedated and removed safely from the trap. Both she and members of the BCIB are keen to examine any strange looking cats discovered dead as a result of road kills or keepering.

Nicknamed the Rabbit headed cat because of its resemblance to a cartoon rabbit, this creature may be an exciting zoological discovery.

If you see an animal, or find one dead, please contact

Mark Fraser (BCIB Ayrshire) 07940 016972 - www.scottishbigcats.org
Shaun Stevens (BCIB Argyllshire) 07778 511679 - www.scottishbigcats.org
Di Francis (Banffshire) 01542 810760

Information for editors

Pictures on request)

The Rabbit Headed Cats Of Scotland.
By Di Francis.

1n 1988 a gamekeeper working on an estate near Dufftown in Speyside, North East Scotland, discovered a large black cat in a trap he had set for foxes. lt was the size of a very large Scottish Wildcat, but there the resemblance ended. The trapped cat had a slim muscular body, long legs and a long whip like tail. The coat was short and pure black, the chest deep, the hind quarters powerful, but the most striking feature was the head. The animal looked in profile like a hybrid between a cat and a rabbit. The skull was long, the brow sloping down into a pronounced Roman nose, the cranium was flat and broad, the ears large and pricked with a leathery appearance. The jutting upper, jaw overshot the lower jaw, the canine teeth were very long, the lower angled to fit into grooves in the upper jaw, the upper teeth protruding below the lower jaw. The cheek bones were high and broad, giving the creature an almost oriental appearance. While the outer appearance of the Dufftown rabbit headed cat was curious. the identity became even more baffling when the specimen was prepared for examination. The skull was of a fibrous creamy composition, the cranium was actually indented, the nasal passage, very broad, indicating a heightened sense of smell, the ear drums were very large, suggesting excellent hearing, but the cranial capacity was half that compared to a wildcat or a domestic cat of similar size, giving the skull a comparatively small brain in relationship to it's size. The crest of the skull was broad and heavy, in keeping with heavy muscle in the back of the neck and the lower jaw had tiny hooks, perhaps to prevent dislocation when biting, suggesting that the creature had an extremely powerful bite.
The gamekeeper described the ferocity of the trapped cat as quite terrifying and decided as he could not approach close enough to release the animal, his only course of action was to shoot it. It was obvious from the damage to the body that the keeper had stood a good distance away when he killed it, suggesting that he had been afraid to approach the unfortunate animal.
Scientists dismissed the Dufftown cat as an oddity, but author and researcher Di Francis, was convinced that the Dufftown creature was a primitive unknown species and that there was other's like it out there in the Scottish hills and forests.
It was not until 1993 that her faith was rewarded. In December of that year a big black cat was seen swimming after wildfowl near East Kilbride. This act alone was unusual but when the keeper sent his two dogs to scare the cat away from the birds, the cat came out of the water and took on both dogs with such ferocity, that the keeper was forced to shoot the cat to protect his dogs from the attack. The cat, a female, closely resembled the Dufftown beast and it appeared a second rabbit headed cat had been discovered.
During research into identification of the animals, photographs of a mystery cat killed earlier by gamekeeper Ronnie Douglas on the Revack Estate were compared with those taken of the Kilbride specimen which suggested that the Revack animal had similarities with the other two but unfortunately the skull of the Revack cat had been lost and only the skin, minus its tail, now exists. However in the future it will be possible to carry out genetic tests on all three specimens to confirm or eliminate a species link.
If all or two of the animals are genetically matched and there are any differences between them and other known feline species, the results must suggest the exciting possibility that the rabbit headed cats are a new species at present unknown to science.
That one of the three specimens obtained to date was trapped alive and then killed, would suggest that a campaign to approach a number of Scottish estates requesting the co-operation of owners and gamekeepers could result in the capture of live specimens for observation and study.
An article in the Scottish Field, published in 1938, reported a gamekeepers tale of finding near Elgin, a feral kitten that could not be domesticated. It revealed unusual behaviour traits, superb hunting skills and finally, returned to the wild. A photograph showing the gamekeeper having a tug of war with the cat and a dead rabbit revealed the mystery cat to be a rabbit headed cat, identical in outward appearance to the Dufftown and Kilbride specimens.
For years there have been many stories of wild puma's and other big cats roaming across Scotland, it is quite possible that some of the descriptions of smaller cats could in fact be descriptions of the rabbit headed cats. They are not large enough to kill full grown sheep but they certainly could and probably do kill lambs, for everything about their morphology would point to an extremely efficient killing machine. Powerful, with acute hearing and a good sense of smell, built for speed but with a comparatively small brain, it would appear to be the perfect instinctive hunter, a sort of feline shark.
If the rabbit headed cats are in fact a new species indigenous to the British Isles, it is without doubt an interesting zoological discovery. That it could escape detection for so long is surprising, yet the specimens exist, have been found in Scotland and are available for study.

The rabbit headed cat is neither myth nor imagination, it is simply fact.

Exclusive: The Unveiling of Photographic Evidence of an Unknown British Species

15th February 2007

(BCIB) Big Cats in Britain 1st Annual Big Cat Conference Hull East Yorkshire – 23rd 24th 25th March 2007 Leopards? Hybrids? or a relic, indigenous species that we never knew existed alongside us, ever since the Ice Age?

Veteran British big cat researcher Di Francis has decided to reveal photographic evidence showing a body of a large unknown cat found on a river estuary in Scotland.

Di said: “We have gone a long torturous route in identifying the reality of British big cats but now in the 21st century, the question is not are they here, but what are they? “An elderly couple while walking along a beach near the river estuary in Oban, Scotland, found the body of a puma-sized silver grey female cat with a faint ginger stripe across its face and a white or cream chest; washed up on the beach.”

Di Francis will be revealing the photographs for the first time at the Annual Big Cats in Britain Conference held in Hull at the Dorchester Hotel on the weekend of the 24th March. Her new book Cat Country Revisited is soon to be published.

Conference organiser and Big Cats in Britain founder Mark Fraser said: “I have been aware of these photographs for several years but have not yet seen them, I am as eager as everyone else. “Controversy is sure to arise at the conference which is attracting delegates from all over the country. Other speakers will include zoologist Chris Moiser, CFZ Director Jonathan Downes, police officers, researchers, authors, South African trackers, scientists, witnesses; all with one common aim which is to discover just exactly what large felines are roaming the British Isles.”

BCIB Argyllshire representative Shaun Stevens will also be presenting results of a year long study into exotic animals in the British Isles using data he received through the Freedom of Information Act. Shaun said: "There are many researchers out there desperate to view this ground breaking evidence. It could be a catalyst in changing the perception of the big cat phenomena in the UK for ever"

Tickets for the full weekend are Ł20 - day tickets Ł14

For more information visit the www.bigcatsinbritain.org website or contact Mark Fraser on 01563 551710 – 07940 016972 Email: Bigcatsinbritain@btinternet.com

The event has a packed itinerary which also includes debates, film shows, a raffle, quiz, displays, stands and book stall.

A copy of the full itinerary can be sent out on request.

A lady found a Labrador sized cat dead on the roadside, heaved the body into her car, took it home and phoned the local vet who examined the animal. When no one came forward to claim an escaped exotic pet, the body was disposed of.
A lorry driver spotted a brown puma sized cat on the roadside in Scotland, he notified a local vet but by the time the vet received the message and reached the site, the driver of a white van had been observed removing an animal carcass from the roadside. Neither the driver nor the cat’s body has ever been traced.
A couple of men driving along a woodland road found a collie sized black and white cat lying dead on the roadside. They left it there as they did not want to put a bloody carcass in their car. They returned the next morning with plastic bags but the body was gone.
A black Alsatian sized cat was seen for hours lying injured on a main road verge in Central Scotland. A number of motorists reported the animal to the police but nothing was done. Finally the animal recovered enough to crawl away, either to recover or die.

Over four decades, the Surrey Puma of the 1960s has been joined by the Exmoor Beast, the Beast of Bodmin, the Fen Tiger, the Beast of Ongar, the Pedmore Panther, the Beast of Gloucester, the Thing from the Ling, the Beast of Borehamwood, the Wrangaton Lion, the Beast of Shap, the Beast of Brentwood, the Lindsey Leopard, the Lincolnshire Lynx, the Wildcat of the Wolds, the Beast of Roslin, the Kilmacolm Big Cat, the Beast of Burford, the Chilterns Lion, the Beast of Castor, the Beast of Sydenham, the Shooters Hill Cheetah, the Beast of Bucks, the Plumstead Panther, the Beast of Bexley, the Beast of Barnet, the Nottingham Lion, the Durham Puma, the Horndon Panther, the Beast of Cricklewood, the Beast of Bont, the Beast of Gobowen ... and many more.

(BCIB) Big Cats in Britain 1st Annual Big Cat Conference
Hull East Yorkshire – 23rd 25th March 2007

It is over 40 years since the first public spate of sightings hit the headlines with the Surrey Puma, yet we are still no closer to solving the mystery.
Experts from all over the country will be gathering to discuss if these cats really are all black leopards?
Hybrids? or a relic, indigenous species that we never knew existed alongside us, ever since the Ice Age?
BCIB average three sightings daily from all over the countryside including Ireland, in fact people these days are more likely to see a big cat rather than a pig.
The conference is the first organised exclusively by the group which is open to non-members as well as members. There is an exciting line up of speakers giving delegates the chance to ask questions and speak to the experts personally. Controversy promises to raise its head, as well as exciting new evidence with the exclusive revealing of photographic evidence showing a new British species?

BCIB have always prided themselves on working as a team although we do not always agree with each other. We discuss and debate in a friendly and open manner to help further our knowledge and understanding on a subject that for some of us is a way of life, and a subject that is touching upon more and more people across the nation daily.

We are pleased to announce that the veteran big cat researcher Di Francis will be attending and speaking. She is currently working on her new book, Cat Country Revisited, a sequel to Cat Country published in 1983 which started many people on the trail, including conference organiser Mark Fraser.

Others speaking will be zoologist Chris Moiser, Jonathan Downes of the CFZ, police officers, South African trackers, scientists, witnesses etc. The event has a packed itinerary which also includes film shows, a raffle quiz, displays, stands and book stall.

Tickets for the full weekend are Ł20 - day tickets Ł14

For more information visit the www.bigcatsinbritain.org website

Mark Fraser 01563 551710 – 07940 016972

Survey reveals over 150 "big cats"
(+ 2000 ostriches, 500 monkeys and 250 poisonous snakes) in private hands.

View the list (feline only)

26th December 2006

BCIB Press release The Big Cats in Britain Research Group has just published the results of a survey, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, where it approached all 408 local authorities in the country to see how many Dangerous Wild Animals were being kept by licensed private keepers. Animals in zoos do not come under this form of control, and so these figures do not include zoo animals. Under the Dangerous Wild Animal Act 1976 private owners of all animals that are legally deemed to be dangerous are required to purchase, annually, a licence from the local authority. The authority is responsible for inspecting the owner’s premises, setting standards and confirming that the owner carries third party liability insurance for the animal. The authorities are also responsible for seizing and disposing of unlicensed animals.

The results showed 154 assorted cats in private hands, including, 12 Lions, 14 Tigers and 50 Leopards. Some of the smaller cats such as Servals and Leopard Cats are being kept to hybridise with domestic cats to produce the "designer pet" varieties of cat known as Savannahs and Bengals respectively.

Although the survey was conducted to primarily find out how many exotic (i.e. non domestic) cats are in private hands in Great Britain it has revealed some interesting results in relation to other species. There are, for instance, almost 500 assorted monkeys and 2000 ostriches in private ownership as well as over 250 poisonous snakes and 50 members of the crocodile family. Over 300 American Bison are also grazing in our rolling countryside and Wild Boar number over 6000 individuals, at any one time.

Shaun Stevens the BCIB member who has collated these figures said "The information so far is very much raw data and the group will be discussing this information in detail at our yearly British Big Cat Conference in Hull in March 2007. Although these animals are regarded by law as dangerous, the public should rest assured, that these animals very rarely escape; and where escapes are reported the animals tend to be recaptured quickly and without any harm to the public."

Scientific adviser to BCIB Chris Moiser, said that “In this day and age, with so many restrictions on keeping exotic animals, it is a pleasant surprise to see how many people go to such lengths to keep their animals properly and lawfully. It is perhaps concerning though that the majority of escapes seem to be wild boar which have been deliberately released by animal rights activists.”

Mark Fraser, founder of the BCIB Research Group, said "It is not the responsible legal owners that 'lose' their animals, but those that are kept illegally with ill regard and little thought to their welfare. More and more exotic animals are being seen in the British countryside today, making it an interesting place to be. In December of 2006 the Dangerous Wild Animals Act was introduced in Northern Ireland, and it will be interesting to see what effect this has".

For further information on these figures, and to see the full list see the big cats in Britain website www.bigcatsinbritain.org (the website also contains copyright free pictures that may be used in articles) or for further information or quotes contact

Shaun Stevens on 07778 511 679
Mark Fraser on 07940 016 972
Chris Moiser on 07751 363 198

Press Release for Ireland

Date: 6th April 2006

Effective: Immediate

British Investigators invited to Eire

Mark Fraser and Chris Moiser of the Big Cats in Britain investigation group have been invited to Co. Monaghan, in Eire, to investigate recent sightings of big cats there.

Big cats have been reported in the border area for the last four years. After a preliminary visit last September the group is returning to the area for more detailed studies. It is hoped that an assessment can be made of any potential ecological effects, and of ways to protect domestic livestock from possible attacks. Mark said “At present big cats can still be kept in Northern Ireland without a licence, although that is about to change, and there are rumours that one or two owners may have released their animals before the law has come into force. It would appear that some of these animals have headed South, and that some may have remained in the North.”

Chris said “The current Irish situation could become a copy of what we had happen in Great Britain in 1976 when our dangerous animal licensing laws came into force, and I suspect that we can supply the Irish with some useful advice, and in return study their position with the benefit of hindsight.”

The team will be closely followed by a TV documentary film crew. The trip will culminate in a ‘Big Cat Information Evening’ on the 27th of April at the Four Seasons Hotel in Monaghan town. This will see talks by Chris Moiser, and Stephen Philpott (to be confirmed) of the USPCA, together with a questions and answer session and the showing of a 20 minute documentary film. It is also hoped that Merrily Harpur, author of the recently released book “Mystery Big Cats” will be there to promote her new book. Admission for the evening will be 5 euros.

Mark Fraser has been investigating big cats for 15 years, he is based in Ayrshire and He has recently edited the Big Cats in Britain yearbook 2006, which was published on the 24th of March. Mark can be contacted on 00 44 07940 016972

Chris Moiser is a zoologist who taught Biology in a College of Further Education for 20 years. He is currently based in Plymouth in Devon and has written “Mystery Cats of Devon and Cornwall” and “Big Cat Mysteries of Somerset”. Chris can be contacted on 00 44 07751 363198

Please feel free to contact either member of the team for further explanation or comments.
The Big Cats in Britain website is www.bigcatsinbritain.org.uk and has copyright free pictures that you are invited to use.