Beast of Merthyr? Latest British Big Cat Sighting

by Ben Steinmeier | December 6, 2011 at 12:30 pm

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Panther-like beast sighted in densely-populated urban Wales

As odd as it sounds, experts have warned pet owners in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales to keep their pets inside due to the danger of a reported "panther-like creature" in the area. The warning came after a reported sighting of the big cat and is the latest of the British big cat sightings.

The sighting and other evidence

It all began when coach driver Robert Davis was coming come from work when he saw animal. As he described it:

He said: “I had just come off the roundabout, so I was only doing about 20mph when it just appeared in the middle of the road.
“It was about 25 feet in front of me and ran straight into the light from my headlights.

“I used to own an Irish setter and it was definitely much bigger than that, black, with a long tail and a head a bit like a boxer dog. It bounded across from the central reservation in about three leaps.

“I had to do a double take, but there was no mistaking what it was.”

Later on Monday morning, staff of a retail park arrived to find "unusual damage" done on a bin and garbage strewn around the area.

British big cats

Despite the incredibility of the claim, there have been thousands of similar sighting reported throughout Britain since the 1950's, most reports claiming the same thing: a large black or tan feline. While photographic evidence has been brought forward, many of these photos have been hoaxes, been merely claimed as misidentification or do not have enough quality to prove anything.

While the average British citizen doesn't believe in these big cats, big cat expert Danny Nineham says this all changes when someone has a sighting.

“Until they see a big cat, most people don’t believe it,” he said. “But we’re not claiming it’s Big Foot, the Loch Ness monster or that aliens have invaded Wales – it is very real and very tangible.
“We have got hundreds of these things, they are everywhere.”

While the South Wales Police have not confirmed the sighting, Police Wildlife Officer Matthew Howells gave the following information should one encounter it:

Do not approach the animal
Do not leave any food out for it
Report the sighting to the police and give as much information as possible: detailed description, where the sighting took place, direction it left, etc.

British Big Cats