DNA analysis has confirmed that there is a big cat roaming the British countryside. - so we have taken a look at recent big cat sightings in Sheffield and its surrounding towns
The DNA of a big cat has been identified from a swab taken from the remains of a dead sheep in the Lake District. The DNA of the Panthera genus was found following analysis carried out at the University of Warwick.
This is the first time ever that a big cat DNA was found on animal remains in the UK.
Following the discovery, speculations started on whether the evidence proves the existence of an individual big cat in the Lake District or whether it suggests that there are several big cats roaming the British countryside.
We have taken a look into nine sightings in Sheffield and South Yorkshire, as well as nearby North Derbyshire and the Peak District. The details of each are in the gallery below.
1. Kinder Scout
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
2. Ecclesfield
One big cat sighting which was reported on the website Pumawatch described a big cat in Ecclesfield in June 2023.
The witness told the site: “My colleague and I were walking to work along the Blackburn Valley trail in Ecclesfield, Sheffield. A large cat crossed our path before scurrying into the bushes. It was the size of a Labrador.” Photo: Google
3. Bolsterstone
A woman in Bolsterstone was shocked when she saw a cat she “could only describe as a puma” roaming the area – and was seemingly staring at her until it seemed to be spooked and ran off.
“I know that the chance of seeing such an animal in the wild, especially around these parts, are practically nil. However this was a huge beast by feline standards and was about two feet tall on all four legs,” she said. Photo: Google
4. Stanton Moor
In July 2023, Bernadette Hall and her husband discovered bones in a tree in the Stanton Moor area and Rick said the skeletal remains are potential signs of black leopards in the area.
A few weeks later Paul Stocks, and his two sons Jacob, 20 and Ben, 23, from the Mystic Paranormal UK group, decided to look for the leopard in the Stanton Moor area and were left shocked after they spotted a ‘big black cat’ just six feet away from them.
The men described the animal as a very large, silky black cat with a very long swooping tail. They said it was much bigger than a fox and it moved exactly like the big cats you see on TV. Photo: Google