Patrol officers spotted big cat

From the Echo, first published Friday 17th Oct 2003.

FURTHER credence has been given to tales of big cats roaming the Dorset countryside after two policemen on night patrol spotted one.

Officers Jon Kuspert and Richard Lill were out in Edmondsham patrolling for poachers when they spotted an unusual creature in their headlights.

Jon said: "It took us both by surprise, it jumped out a bush straight in front of us. We slowed down and followed it - at first I thought it was a badger but it moved like a cat. It had a long tail and a black stripe down its back - it was grey in colour and had coloured markings.

"I didn't know we had anything like that in Dorset - I used to work in Poole and never saw anything like that there. It was too big for a domestic cat

"We came straight back and looked it up on the internet and the nearest thing to it is a European Wildcat.

"My colleagues are still taking the mickey out of me but both of us saw it and we're certain of what we saw. I've been back to look for it since but couldn't find anything.

"We've had no reported problems of animals being attacked from farms."

Past sightings in Dorset are of bigger cats such as a panther or lynx-like creature and there have been numerous sightings in Edmondsham before this.

European Wildcats are mostly nocturnal - They are known to catch their kill during winter nights and hunt rabbits, rodents, birds, reptiles amphibians and insects. They are found throughout Europe, including parts of Scotland but are rarely seen this far south.

This latest sighting last week has been logged by Dorset's wildlife liaison officer. It is one of dozens of sightings in the county in the past year.

If you've had a recent sighting of a big cat please contact the Echo on 01202 411299.

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