While it might sound like something from a local legend, big cat sightings in the region are surprisingly common, with new data revealing just how often these creatures have been spotted.
BBC Discover Wildlife Magazine recently reported that large cats such as black leopards are quietly naturalising in Britain.
Podcast host and author Rick Minter, who has spent years studying these animals, told listeners of Big Cats: Facing Britain's Wild Predators:
“Sightings, physical evidence and DNA tests suggest some of these animals — particularly black panthers are in Britain.”
He says he became convinced of big cats' presence in Britain 24 years ago, after spotting what he believes was a black leopard in Cumbria.
Since then, he’s collected around 1,500 witness accounts through talks, rural shows, and his podcast Big Cat Conversations.
Listeners - including Clare Balding - have shared sightings of cats basking in the sun, hunting geese, fleeing barns and even caring for cubs, painting a picture of wild cats thriving undetected across the UK countryside.
Of the 40 species of wild cat, just three are repeatedly described by British eyewitnesses — yet many keep quiet, fearing ridicule or backlash.
The history
Back in the 1960s and 70s, exotic pets were a fashionable status symbol. Big cats — including leopards and pumas — could even be bought from Harrods. But in 1976, new laws made it illegal to own such animals without a licence. Faced with expensive paperwork and nowhere to rehome their pets, some owners are believed to have simply released them into the wild.
Could those abandoned cats have survived — and even bred? It’s a question that fuels debate to this day.
While there’s no official record of black leopards living in Sheffield, exotic animal ownership is not unheard of.
In nearby Rotherham, one person legally owns a serval and a Bengal cat.
Sheffield’s own exotic animal registry includes a dwarf caiman — a small crocodilian.
So while it might not be proof, it shows that unusual creatures are already living closer than many might think.
Is there any proof?
There have only been a few confirmed DNA results showing big cats in Britain, but they do exist. Six positive tests have been made public, all matching leopard DNA.
Two of the most recent were from Gloucestershire in 2022, where hair was found on a fence near a dead sheep, and from Cumbria in 2023, where DNA was found on a sheep carcass.
The sightings keep coming, from the edges of woodlands to the hills above town.
The details are in the gallery below.
Have you got a story you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at https://www.yourworld.net/submit/ It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
1. Oughtibridge Lane, Sheffield – 27 May 2020 Described as “a big cat with a large tail.”
The Police have records of phone calls made about big cats. One caller called the Police on 27 May 2020. They described the creature as “a big cat with a large tail.” | Google
2. the A1M to M18 Wadworth Interchange, Doncaster –
On the 3 January 2019 a call was made to Police about a “very big cat in a sooty colour” seen near a major motorway junction. On the same day, someone else called to say: "Please be aware - big cat seen in area of a1m j36 southbound - seen at around 08.05am. - unknown if escaped from wildlife park." | Google
3. Carr Lane, Bessacarr –
On the 2 April 2022, a caller on Carr Lane, Bessacarr called to say they had seen what they believed to be a “black pantha.” | Google
4. Peak District
In 2022 Josh Williams and his friend Ben were walking from Mermaid’s Pool on Kinder Scout towards Edale in September, returning home after a night of wild camping in the Peak District. They had just passed Jacob’s Ladder when the pair spotted and recorded what they thought was a wild cat with a ‘long black tail’ in a nearby field. Photo: Josh Williams