Driver finds ‘big cat’ near M5 as experts say more are out there

The body of a big cat has been found by the side of a busy motorway. A driver claims to have witnessed the animal lying dead on the M49, close to the junction with the M5 - suspecting it had been hit by a car.

The M5 joins with the M49 at its J18A in Bristol, which thousands of motorists pass each day. The experience of Richy Cushing was reported on a Facebook group which is dedicated to research big cats, reports BristolLive .[1][2]

Speculation about the existence of big cats roaming the countryside in England have been going on for decades. Alongside places in the South West, including Devon, Cornwall and Somerset, areas in the West Midlands are rumoured to contain big cats - such as Cannock Chase in Staffordshire[3].

Providing more details, Mr Cushing said the animal was "too big" to be considered a domestic cat. And a wildlife expert, called John McGowan, claimed big cats are killed on British roads more times than people may think.

He said: "As you come off the M4 and down the M49 on the M5 there is a big black cat lying dead in the road. I couldn’t stop as I was towing my caravan but it was too big to be a domestic cat.”

There have long been rumours of big cat activity in the South West. Devon and Cornwall have tales of beast on Exmoor and Bodmin. The Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire was also the scene of a suspected incident recently.

Wildlife expert and taxidermist, Jon McGowan, who also starred in hit documentary Panthera Britannia Declassified, was not surprised by this latest development.[6] He added: "Big cats are killed on British roads more commonly than you might think. The authorities have been known to send out teams of people in unmarked vehicles to recover the dead bodies of cats killed on our roads before the press or witnesses can record the evidence.

“I have a similar story myself. “I once saw a dead cat on the roadside which was enormous, it could have been up to 9ft long including its tail. Other people thought the animal was a dead lion”.

In September last year, 'scented traps' were reportedly nailed to trees[7] over Cannock Chase to catch traces of the mysterious beasts. Cannock[8] -based historian Richard Pursehouse said: "The nails sticking out are intended to draw blood or catch hair, which then gets caught on the ribbed carpet and can be used for DNA testing. Apparently specialists use the carpet as a way of finding routes used by big cats."

References

  1. ^ BristolLive (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
  2. ^ . (www.devonlive.com)
  3. ^ Cannock Chase in Staffordshire (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  4. ^ 'Hunters using scented traps to catch big cats' at Midlands beauty spot (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  5. ^ WIN £100 Aldi voucher to boost your festive shop this Christmas (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  6. ^ . (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
  7. ^ reportedly nailed to trees (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  8. ^ Cannock (www.birminghammail.co.uk)

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