New Pic of Beast of Bodwin

A 19-year-old caught pictures of what he believes to be the "Beast of Bodwin," a creature that has been reported for years and is thought to be a Big Cat. Henry Warren lives a few miles from Bodwin Moor, where the Beast is said to lurk, and snapped these photos when a Big Cat startled him.

© The Weirding, 2014

Large, Exotic Cat Shot in Detroit

Chum was the name of the big cat that had some residents in Detroit unnerved, fearing for their housepets and children. Now dead, Chum was just that: A regular cat, though large, and not an exotic pet as authorities had originally feared.

A cross between an African serval and a domestic housecat that had gotten loose from its owners and begun prowling the largely abandoned streets of the large city. Chum's death has some upset, as its carcass was found dumped in a trashbin like so much refuse.

© C Harris Lynn, 2013

Panther to Blame for Mutilations in UK?

The mutilated bodies of three swans and two lambs are being blamed on a Big Cat Golborne residents reported sunning itself high in a tree a few days earlier. Other reports said some half-dozen witnesses spotted a "panther-like creature" laying on rooftops in the same area at about the same time. However, authorities are quick to note that the eyewitness reports of the cat were all from a distance, meaning they may well have seen a housecat or even some other animal. One dismissive authority from the Three Sisters area says he has been on-patrol throughout the area all winter and has seen no tracks or other evidence of a Big Cat in the area.

While authorities are not prepared to announce that a Big Cat is on the prowl in the area, police are treating the matter seriously. The sightings, and the swans and lambs, have been investigated by police.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

'Closest Sighting Yet' of Big Cat in the UK

Former policeman, Michael Disney, claims a Big Cat crossed his path in Pembrokeshire on January 28^th, 2010, as he was driving. Disney told officials and reporters the cat passed about 15' in front of his car, which was going about 10-15mph at the time. The encounter occurred in broad daylight and lasted 5-6 seconds by his estimation. He said he had a clear view of the animal under excellent visibility conditions.

Disney said the cat was about 3' long with a body-type he likened to that of a German Shepherd and "a large, cat-like head." Fearing public safety, he drove to a local farmer's home to use the phone and learned that the owner had also seen the Big Cat a week or so earlier. Officials said they do not believe the public is in danger, but did warn people not to approach the animal if they see it.

"I am 100% certain that this was a puma or panther-like animal and was definitely not a dog, cat, or any other domestic animal," Disney said. "It was not something I had seen before, other than in a zoo."

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Big Cats in Edinburgh

Several eyewitnesses discovered large cat prints in the snow in Edinburgh, Scotland earlier in the week. Some experts suggest melting snow may have distorted the suggested size of the cat that made them, but others note that there have been several recent sightings of large cats in the area over the last few years.

Some say they suspect lynx, puma, and even leopards are present in the area. Sightings surrounding the area made headlines in 2004, 2005, and 2009.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Big Cat Slaughters Welsh Livestock

A jet-black cat described as a panther has become the center of nearly 10 sightings in and around Pembrokeshire, where it has attacked livestock. Authorities have collected photographs, tracks and prints, and eyewitness accounts and are convinced a Big Cat is loose in the area and is responsible for the attacks. Some stories claim the cat was seen with a cub, leading others to conclude there may be as many as three Big Cats in the Princes Gate area.

Experts agree there are hallmarks of the attacks that are consistent with large cats, but remain skeptical. Some say the paw print in question belongs to a dog, but police and wildlife experts are investigating. Farmers in the area have reason to worry, though. An ewe was literally torn apart, a calf was killed, and one eyewitness claims the cat was seen with a lamb in its mouth.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Cougars in New Castle, DE

Big cats were spotted twice in residential areas in New Castle, Delaware (DE) last week. Cougars, mountain lions, or pumas were said to have strolled near neighboring apartment buildings and residential areas twice in the second week of November, 2010.

Some eyewitnesses commented that cougars are found elsewhere in the general area more frequently, and in greater numbers. Police found no evidence of a puma in either case, but are making residents aware.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Zimbabwean Killed by Pride of Lions in Shower

A Zimbabwean tourist in an open wildlife conservation area was killed by a pride of lions while showering last Friday. Though details of the attack are still emerging, experts blame the attack on poaching. Earlier in 2010, eight villagers were similarly attacked by lions hundreds of miles down the river.

Experts say a lack of food has lead villagers to poach lions, traumatizing the animals. It is believed they may be targeting humans as a result.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Siberian Tiger Bites Man... in Wisconsin

A seven-year-old Siberian tiger attacked a 38-year-old volunteer who was watering the animal at the time. The tiger, Khan, grabbed John Meeker's arm and pulled it into its cage. Other volunteers on-scene were able to get Meeker away from the tiger and begin administering first-aid. Meeker was airlifted to the hospital.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Tiger Cub Found in Luggage

A 31-year-old Thai woman is under arrest in Bangkok, facing two charges of smuggling wildlife, after a live tiger cub was found in her luggage. The cub was drugged and placed in a bag filled with stuffed animals. Airport security discovered the animal when the woman's luggage went through x-ray.

The woman was on her way to Iran, where tigers are prized as exotic pets and can fetch over $3000 on the black market. The cub is now in a wildlife conservation center in Bangkok, where it is recovering from exhaustion and dehydration. Officials say the cub is doing much better.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Cat That Stalked Girls is Black Leopard Nicknamed 'Boris'

Mark Fletcher, once a skeptic, has come public with claims of big cats living in England. He says that he filmed a TV spot on the matter some months back and came to the startling conclusion that such a legend was, in fact, all too true. In fact, he claims that the big cat which stalked two young girls last month is not a panther, but a black leopard nicknamed "Boris."

Fletcher says he chose not to use the footage and evidence he had collected in his TV special for fear of causing public panic, but the girls' encounter made him feel so guilty that he decided to come forward.

However, several officials have beaten Fletcher to the punch lately, as many have come forward to state that big cats are absolutely on the prowl in the UK, and one off-duty policeman even caught one on tape. You can read Fletcher's account here.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

15-Year Old Girl Stalked by Panther

Kim Howells was walking through the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire with her cousin on her 15^th birthday when the two came upon a cat they described as being the size of a Great Dane, with big eyes, paws, and a long tail. The pair continued walking. Shortly thereafter, Kim says she saw something in her peripheral vision, which was the cat, sitting up, watching her intently. The cat was following them. When the two realized the cat was only about 15' away, they cut through brambles and began running. They ran all the way to Kim Howell's house.

The girl's mother says the two were obviously upset. "Their feet were all cut and Sophie [the cousin] was in tears." Kim's mother showed the two a picture of a panther online and they agreed that was what they had seen.

"It was definitely a big cat," Kim told reporters. "I could see it really clearly."

Twice in 2007, big cats - also believed to be a panther(s) - were spotted in the area. One early morning encounter involved a milkman, and the other a firefighter.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Mountain Lions Going Urban

Colorado residents have been reporting a number of sightings of mountain lions in urban centers over the last several years.  The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW), which began a study three years ago, confirms these sightings, noting that, like other wildlife, mountain lions sometimes pass through green belts and drainage ditches in urban centers.  They have tagged some of the cats they have come across in urban areas, and have been tracking their whereabouts and movement.

The DOW found that the lions are generally tracking deer and elk, but will eat domestic pets from time to time.  They also found that the cats are not living very long: Of the 44 they tagged three years ago, only 18 are still alive.  Many are killed by traffic.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

The Panther of Blackhole, Tennessee

The story of the Blackhole Panther was relayed to me by someone who has lived in the area her entire life.  I believe it to be fallacious (to a large extent) and classify it simply as Tennessee folklore of the region.  I relate it in hopes of hearing from others who may have heard the tale of the Blackhole Panther, or possibly even have an encounter of their own to share.

According to the subject, she, her future husband, his brother, and his brother's wife were "partying" on the Buffalo River in Humphreys County (Tennessee) at an area once called "Blackhole," at Exit 143 (I-240), late one night in the summer of 1980.  She had to think about the date, but settled firmly on 1980, as her child was born in 1981.

The spot was called "Blackhole" due to the depth of the river at that point.  According to the subject, "If you stood on the bridge in broad daylight, the water looked black, it was so deep."  She later relayed several stories of people who tried to reach the bottom but could not.  Neither she nor I know if Blackhole still exists as it did 30 years ago.

The couples were drinking and smoking marijuana, then decided to go skinny-dipping in the river.  All four went to the bank and began disrobing when they were startled by what "sounded like a woman screaming."

According to the her, local lore held that a "panther" frequented the area and she had "been hoping to see it."  When the shriek frightened the foursome, they saw "glowing" red eyes on the opposite bank.  Suitably scared, the party collected their clothing and made their way back to the single car in which they had arrived -- an early 1970's model Ford LTD (1974, according to her, but she was not certain).

She said the eyes belonged to a large, black cat which swam across the Buffalo River to their site and made its way to their car.  The width of the river at Blackhole was estimated by the subject to be about 40' -- or from one side of I-40 (a four-lane interstate) to the other.

She said the Panther of Blackhole approached the car, then mounted the hood.  The cat walked around on the hood before curling-up to gaze at the party, "Daring us to get out of that car."  It had a long body- - distinctly different from that of a bobcat which, though extremely rare, are still in the area -- and a long tail.  Bobcats can be black, but have a distinctive head and mane, which is often gray and tawny.  The bobcat is named for its "bobbed" tail -- a short, stubby, and fuzzy appendage.  The encounter lasted approximately 15 minutes from first appearance (on the opposite side of the river) to it laying on the hood of the car.

The subject continued: About a year after the incident at Blackhole, she and her (then) mother-in-law were at an undisclosed cemetery (the name of which escapes her) at Cuba Landing -- approximately ¹/₂ mile from the site at which they first encountered the Panther of Blackhole -- when they spotted several, small, black creatures in a field.  At first, she thought they dogs, due to their large size.  "They were fuzzy -- fuzzy and black.  There were a lot of stray dogs [that] used to run around out there, back then.  I was pregnant then and I wanted to take one home."

When she went to the fence to lure one, she realized they were large cats and told her mother-in-law, who was still behind the wheel of the car.  Partially inspired by her alleged encounter with the Blackhole Panther, she decided she still wanted one to take home.  As she stood there, her mother-in-law called excitedly from the car, "Those aren't just cats -- here comes their mama!"

The subject said a large, black cat, similar to the one she saw that night at Blackhole a year earlier, slinked from the woods.  Both it and the kittens were sable, with long tails.  She was within an estimated 20' of the kittens and the mother was about twice that distance from them (roughly 60' from the subject).  Her mother-in-law began screaming at her to get in the car.  She did so calmly, but quickly, and they left the area.

The subject says the Blackhole Panther legend was well-known amongst residents of the area at the time, but few claimed to have actually seen it.  She has not heard much about it since, but no longer lives in the area.  The friends she had at that time generally live elsewhere, or she has lost contact with them, and she has since divorced. She never saw the creature before nor since these, possibly related and entirely alleged, incidents.

I wholly discount the witness' alleged encounter at Blackhole, though I do believe she encountered a wild creature that night on the opposite bank -- possibly even one with "glowing red eyes" (that is to say, the eyes were red and may have appeared to be glowing to her and the others in her group). 

That the creature remains unidentified is not meant to suggest an Unknown or Cryptid; there is a very good chance that the creature unseen was, in fact, a bobcat -- or a cougar, bear, owl, even a large, stray dog.  Whether or not anything more happened beyond that point -- the creature crossing the river, and most especially mounting the hood of the car -- I cannot say, but do not believe it did.

I remain unconvinced of the story, though "The Blackhole Panther" sounds cool as hell.  This was the boom-time of the infamous "Beast of Exmoor" in England, and those accounts made headlines and network news here in the States several times throughout the era.  However, The OddBlog is always interested in tales relating to the subject matter we discuss.  If you, or anyone you know, has anything to add to the Panther of Blackhole, TN legend, please share!

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Big Cats Exist in Britain, According to Authority

This is the second time in recent months that an authority in Britain has "confirmed" the existence of Big Cats in and around the UK. While no conclusive evidence has yet been uncovered, Natural England recently released a report containing well over 100 reports of unknown creatures - the field of which is known as "cryptozoology" - and over ¹/₃ of these reports (38, to be exact) concern Big Cats.

While some of these reports were eyewitness accounts, others include tracks and the carcasses of animals attacked by unknown creatures. Far more interesting about the report is that it contains evidence of just how seriously the government takes these reports. Several investigations were launched and veterinarians were called-in to examine tracks, as well as the carcasses of livestock thought to have been attacked by Big Cats.

Charlie Wilson, who coordinates such reports for the government, has now gone on record as saying the evidence proves these Big Cats exist. He tempered his comments by saying these creatures had been "escaped, released, [and/or] dumped in the wild," and that he doubted any breeding populations existed.

In addition to Big Cats, the report confirmed the existence of raccoons and raccoon-dogs, neither of which are indigenous to the UK, as well as a wolf, prairie dog, and coypus.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Texas Tiger?

Since Tuesday, police in Oyster Creek, Texas say they have received a "handful" of calls from various eyewitnesses claiming a tiger is on the loose in the woods. A spokesperson for the department said they have uncovered no physical evidence, but due to the number of reports, they are investigating the matter seriously. One group claimed to have encountered the creature and, thinking it was a cougar, shined a light on it before fleeing. No one is known to own any tigers in the area, which is illegal. The most recent report came in just this morning.

Again, the reports are of a tiger in the woods, not Tiger Woods.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Pacifist Prisoner Denied Pussy

German courts have denied 46-year old Buddhist and convicted bank robber, Peter Koenig, visits from his cat, whom he claims is the reincarnation of his late mother. The prisoner demanded visitation rights on the grounds that other prisoners are allowed visits from their family members. The court found that, while it respects prisoners' religious freedoms, Koenig failed to provide sufficient evidence that the cat was actually the reincarnation of his dead mother.

The court did find that Koenig could write his puss.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Chinese Cat-Girl

A few months ago, six-year old Li Xiaoyuan had a fuzzy, little birthmark on her back. When the small tuft of gray hair started spreading, doctors told her parents not to worry, that it was natural. But now, short, fine, gray hair covers the little girl's back - even the back of one of her elbows! Her peers have ostracized her and other children refuse to play with her. They taunt her with the nickname, "Cat-Girl."

One surgeon suspects Li may have a rare skin disorder which causes moles to "run amok." He says laser surgery might have helped early-on, but is too risky at this point. Doctors remain baffled by the unusual case.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Off-Duty Policeman Captures Big Cat on Video

Helensburgh ABC, 2009

An off-duty Ministry of Defense (MoD) policeman was helping a friend in his garden when he spotted what he thought was a very large Labrador.  Being a police dog handler by trade, he quickly dismissed the Labrador theory, as the large, black animal moved like a cat.  Intrigued, PC Chris Swallow grabbed his video camera and captured just over one minute of footage, as well as a single still image, which appears to show an extremely large cat nosing around the train tracks in Helensburgh, Argyll (outside of Glasgow, Scotland).

PC Swallow told reporters he had heard reports of big cats roaming the countryside but never believed them -- until now. "We were stunned. It was remarkable," he told reporters. The sighting occurred on June 30^th, 2009.

Looking back at the video I don't think there's any doubt that it's a big cat. - PC Chris Swallow [Source: BBC]

Big Cats have been reported throughout the United Kingdom for decades now.  In fact, a Big Cat has been reported in the very area in which PC Swallow took the video.  First sighted in 2004, the "Coulport Cat" is said to roam the area around Loch Long.  The Coulport Cat is said to be tan, but a black Big Cat has also been spotted close-by, leading many to theorize there is a panther on the loose.

The theory is not at all far-fetched; Big Cats are almost always black, and the general consensus amongst cryptozoologists is that these Big Cats are actually panthers.  According to the Big Cats of Britain group, there is at least one sighting of a Big Cat in the British Isles every day, almost invariably black.  They are thought maybe to have escaped from a private zoo or collection, but the number and frequency of the reports throughout the years suggest a family of pumas or panthers at-large.

The Beast of Exmoor is probably the most famous Big Cat in Britain.  First reported in the 1970s, The Beast of Exmoor became world news when a picture of the creature was taken in 1983.  Interestingly, The Beast of Exmoor was also said to be either black or tan, with a handful of reports indicating two Big Cats -- one of each color.  Panthers can be either black or tawny, and the term "Panther" is sometimes used to describe many large cats, which further clouds the issue.

While the Big Cats of the UK are by far the most popular, Big Cats have been spotted all over the world in areas and climates in which experts refuse to believe they could survive.  Most recently, there have been reports of two lions in the American state of Georgia.

Britain's Big Cats are sometimes termed "ABC," or Alien Big Cats.  While the term is tongue-in-cheek, large cats were once thought to be alien to the UK.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Are Eyewitnesses Lion?

At least two eyewitnesses reported seeing lions roaming freely about the state of Georgia recently. The first was reported near the Lumpkin County line, and the second came from Hall County.

While rare, mountain lion attacks do occur in Georgia. A mountain lion mauled a dog which protected its family from an attack just last month. Actual lions are another matter, entirely. However, authorities are taking the reports seriously.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009