Mystery Reared Its Head Again in Devon England in 2009
It'due south one of the well-nigh popular and controversial myths in Devon folklore - the legend of the Beast of Exmoor.
This big, dark cat - fabled to roam the rugged countryside of Exmoor - has allegedly been spotted numerous times.
Well-nigh eye-witness accounts seem to describe the same affair, a black or nighttime-coated creature with a long tail, far as well big to be a domestic true cat.
In fact, merely concluding month nosotros reported how David Gliddon, 72, from Williton in West Somerset, watched in awe as a big feline creature leapt onto a wall in front end of him while he was driving between Trentishoe and Heddon'due south Mouth on Exmoor.
David said: "I have never seen anything like this before. Information technology was so articulate. I was dumbstruck, I could non believe what I had seen."
Only this is merely the latest in a very long line of alleged sightings.
Sightings of the Brute of Exmoor were start reported in the 1970s, although the period of its notoriety began in 1983, when a Due south Molton farmer named Eric Ley claimed to take lost over a hundred sheep in the infinite of three months, all of them apparently killed past violent throat injuries.
A steady stream of big true cat sightings would follow as speculation grew as to whether a puma, leopard, or panther, could actually exist living wild in the North Devon moorland.
The favourite theory goes that large cats, which had become status symbols among wealthy Brits during the 1960s, were released into the wild later a police was passed that made it illegal for them to be kept in captivity outside of a zoo.
The lifespan of a puma or leopard is between 12-15 years, so it'south thought the animals must have bred on release into the wild for at that place to be any truth behind the more recent rumours.
However, sightings of panther-like cats stalking the countryside keep to be reported both on and around Exmoor National Park.
Five times the Animate being of Exmoor was spotted in Devon
Linda Napier-Burrows reported the following sighting to the Exmoorian website.
She said: "On Monday, 16th July 2012 at approx 1515hrs, I was heading east of A361. I had passed the Swimbridge junction when I passed a field of sheep.
"On a hillock, 15 miles from the roadway I sighted a wild true cat, brown black with pointed black-tipped ears in the 'strike' position.
"I grew upwards in Western Canada where cougars and bobcats were regularly sighted and the dimensions of this beast were markedly like including a long curling tail.
"With no stopping betoken and given my previous feel in distancing myself from such creatures, I pulled in at the first layby, Welcombe Trees, and phoned the police.
"The constable asked for a description and said that emergency vehicles and the RSPCA would exist called. A mixed bulletin if ever there was ane as I had been instructed never to become into the BC forests alone without a rifle or hunting knife and in the visitor of our Alsatian!
"I knew nothing about the veracity of the Beast of Exmoor every bit having lived in London for 40 years I had been fed the line that no such beasts existed in the Great britain.
"Withal, I reflected that young male person cougars will frequently risk being sighted during summer months every bit deer move into the hills and the cats look for other sources."
Later on nosotros reported well-nigh David Gliddon's recent sighting, several people got in touch to say they had seen something like in the same surface area.
Charmain Lovett said: "I grew upwards on Holdstone Downwards, and then a mile or so from where he says he spotted a large cat, and I've definitely seen one.
"I retrieve being around 12/13yrs old and a large true cat (I'd say around the size of a Doberman) jumped over the hedge of a field but upwards the road, stood in the heart of the road, stared at u.s.a., so ran off onto the moor. 100% not a dog.
"A neighbor up the road had a similar encounter when a puma-like cat jumped on her bonnet. I hope we're non nutters!"
K Whitrow claims to take spotted the animal dorsum in 2010.
She said: "On Tuesday, October 12, we were driving from Dulverton to Lynmouth around mid to late morning across the moors when we saw the black panther run across the route and stand on top of a hedge, so we had a very articulate sighting of it.
"Nosotros were well out into the moors, no backdrop in sight."
Another alleged witness, who gave his name only as Mark, also contacted the Exmoorian website with a curious tale to tell.
He said: "On Sunday, July 30, 2010, at 11.35pm I was driving from Barnstaple to Minehead and was half mode betwixt Exford and Wheddon Cross.
"A black true cat just a bit bigger than an Alsation canis familiaris ran out from one side of the road to the other.
"Information technology stopped in the route as I drove towards it and hesitated for a 2d and went to become back into the hedge information technology initially appeared from simply then climbed the contrary hedge facing towards Dunkery.
"Information technology looked direct at me - its eyes were emerald green and its tail was the length of the body, if not longer, with a rounded tip.
"I've worked on the National Park for seven years. I never saw anything like it before and never believed information technology until at present." Mark, 4th August 2010
Paul Barham claims to take spotted a "black panther" brute in March 2009 near the North Devon Link Road.
He told the Exmoorian: "Whilst driving betwixt Tiverton and Barnstaple, 2-3 miles before the Due south Molton roundabout at 12.10pm, my mother who was sabbatum in the forepart passenger seat all of a sudden said 'at that place'south a black Panther!' pointing to the correct.
"Looking up a steep incline to my correct sure enough at that place it was, a large black Panther walking along the line of a hedge. The distance was approximately thirty - 40m from the road.
"The thing that really defenseless the middle was the sunday shining on its glossy jet blackness coat, the grass was curt making it piece of cake to get a clear view and not mistake it for a domestic black true cat, information technology was much besides big (at least two times larger than a cat would be at that distance).
"We are both 100% certain the brute we saw was a Panther. I've ever had doubts that sightings people have said they accept seen were existent, at present I know for sure there is a big cat out at that place and feel privileged to have caught a glimpse of it.
"Information technology's making the hair stand up on the dorsum of my neck now as I type this, I tin't believe I've seen one."
"Absolutely convinced" big cats are out in that location...
Jon Downes is founder of the Heart of Fortean Zoology based at Woolsery in North Devon.
The organisation describes itself as the "largest professional person, scientific and full-time organisation in the world dedicated to cryptozoology - the study of unknown animals".
Jon, who once claims to have spotted a wild puma himself on Bodmin Moor, says he is absolutely convinced in that location are big cats out there in the wilds of the south west.
He said: "Back in 2010 we constitute pilus samples at a woodland called Huddisford near Woolsery.
"Nosotros had them tested by two laboratories, both in this country and in Scandinavia, and the results from both showed they were from a sub-Saharan species of leopard.
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"This recent sighting is the outset ane nosotros've received since Jan or February time."
Jon offered the following advice for anyone who spots anything similarly unusual.
He said: "If you are able to get pictures, please exercise. That is neat for us.
"It'south too worth looking for footprints and hair samples on whatsoever nearby plants or foliage.
"If you lot practice get something, send information technology to u.s.a. and nosotros will ever do our all-time to get the answers."
The "other" Exmoor Beasts
The words "Exmoor beast" are thrown nigh a lot these days.
1 curious example was when the decaying carcass of a mysterious animal was washed upwards on Croyde beach back in January 2009.
Police were called to the embankment after a member of public reported finding the rotting corpse which was "the size of a calf with canine teeth".
Describing the carcass at the fourth dimension, PC Chris Tucker said: "Information technology'southward a skilful five feet long, and it'due south got black fur. It certainly looks quite beast-like with those teeth."
Sgt Jeff Pearce said: "Information technology almost definitely looks like it could be a beast of Exmoor. It'south only about five miles away to Exmoor by sea, it could easily have floated down."
But later that dark Sgt Pearce said: "We've been doing some net enquiry and we think judging past the teeth information technology might be a sea lion."
It's not known if the animal was ever formally identified.
The commercial potential fort this neat Devon Legend has also been realised by a few firms.
Exmoor Ales created a all-time selling beer begetting the name.
The 6.6% Exmoor Animate being stiff ale is a dark porter which was commencement brewed back in 1992 and is now available both on draught and in bottle.
On their website, it is described equally being "brewed with a mix of pale ale, chocolate and crystal malts, and hopped with Goldings, Challenger and Brewers Golden, information technology is dark mahogany-brown in color, with the merest hint of blood-red tints at its border.
"Lush rich aromas of toffee, treacle. Mocha java, vinous fruit and chocolate swirl in a higher place the drinking glass. There's more complexity on the palate with rich fruitcake, a hint of rum, more Mocha coffee, an herbal hoppiness, vinous fruit, while the bittersweet finish is smoothen notwithstanding complex, rich but not cloying.
"Try it with ice cream where the vanilla flavours would piece of work well with the bittersweet richness of the porter; information technology is as well ideal for a ripe Stilton or even as part of the mix for a rich winter stew.
"Try it also in cake mix, with one local Exmoor favourite being an Exmoor Beast fruitcake with whisky icing."
Exmoor Zoo is besides home to an Exmoor Beast.
Ebony the blackness lady leopard is but one of five left in captivity in Britain.
She is but ane of two possible breeding females throughout the British Isles!
Born in the Santago Rare Cat Trust in Hertfordshire, her dad is American and mum a Czech.
On their website, the zoo says: "She has settled downwardly into a daily routine and now regularly awaits her afternoon feed, timed with a talk on the 'Exmoor Animate being' at 4pm, though not on Saturdays."
There is likewise an almanac Exmoor Beast cycle claiming which has been running more than than a decade.
The 100-mile or 100km routes are described on the website every bit "very tough".
The sportive climbs to the highest point of Exmoor - Dunkery - before heading back to the HQ at Tiverton.
Seven things you demand to know about the Exmoor Beast
- Idea to be a large cat, the beast is also referred to as an ABC (Alien, or Anomalous, Big Cat) felidae – they are non native to Britain and are reported to inhabit the British countryside. These sightings are frequently reported every bit "panthers", "pumas", or "black cats".
- The existence of big cats in the British countryside has been debated for decades. Virtually of the alleged sightings have come since the Dangerous Wildlife Deed of 1976 fabricated it illegal to proceed untamed pets. Some experts have suggested that this led to owners of exotic cats, such equally pumas or lynx, simply releasing their animals into the countryside.
- In the 1980s Royal Marines were called in to use their skills to help subsequently a succession of mysterious sheep deaths attribute to a wild animal. More than 100 full grown ewes had been killed in the preceding months and the way the meat had been removed from the carcass suggested they had been killed by something bigger than normal moorland predators.
- In Apr 2022 a local walker was enjoying the sunshine at Crowcombe Park Gate in the Quantock Hills in Somerset when she spotted a "big blackness" fauna in the grass. The 32-yr-old mum, who was with her teenage daughter said the sun was glinting off its fur equally information technology skulked through the long grass. She pointed her camera at the massive feline and zoomed in to get a better expect, and took a photo to give herself a better view. The domestic dog walker couldn't believe it when she inspected the photos and had captured what looked scarily like a panther or puma, on Saturday. The mum, who wants to be anonymous, is convinced it'due south a big cat - similar to those spotted elsewhere in Somerset in recent years.
- Danny Bamping, founder of the British Big Cats Club, has previously said in that location had been a "substantial" number of reported sightings of large cats in Somerset in the past year. Current interest in large cat reports announced to stalk from the 1970s reports spread beyond the country, the Beast of Exmoor was reported from Devon and Somerset and the Sheppey Panther has been rumoured to exist since that decade.
- Other researchers believe something more supernatural may be itinerant - after all no one has e'er defenseless one of these reported big cats.
- People claim to take photographed the beast simply photos are usually unclear with some commentators criticising the shots and claiming them to big edited.
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Source: https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/five-times-beast-exmoor-spotted-1854988
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