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LEICSTERSHIRE PANTHER WATCH
Ibstock 2002 pics page
(11-12-2002)
This page features the pictures that were released in December of summer 2002 sightings of a Cub and adult Panther near Ibstock, NW Leics
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Dec 2002
This email was received in December 2002 from a resident at Ibstock to Chris our West Leics member:
"I live in the country in approx.4acre site have a large pond with trees and hedgerow to the rear. I often put food out for the foxes, my husband came home one night and saw a very large black cat, a few days later I looked through the window and saw a very large black cat walking very slowly up my lawn but keeping very near the bushes he was being stalked by my cat who was creeping as low to the ground as he could, the black cat walked upright and glanced to each side as he walked and then vanished into the shrubs at the top. Next day we saw a smaller black cat lying at the side of the pond he was around for approx. two weeks he all ways ran away if you took a step towards him we noticed lots of feathers on the grass and on the pond, we all ways have lots of ring neck doves around the pond suddenly they disappeared. I believe it was a big cat, which stopped to have her young. I managed to get a photograph but it wouldn't let me get very near to it
. Other witnesses were present, warm and sunny days and think it was a Panther and cub. ."Having visited the location, here are the photos of the cub (not the much larger parent sadly)
I have zoomed in on all but one to give a clearer picture.
The first one shows the cub in the distance with a standard 20l bucket about 20 feet in front of it. This gives it a size of about 2 foot body and 1-foot tail, which is fairly small but poss. a 6- 12 month cub. The adult (not photographed) also seen around by witnesses with the cub was much bigger and about the size of a very large dog.
The witness also mentioned that there was a very strong smell of ammonia where the cat was seen in bushes. The whole area is old mine and railway lines with loads of derelict land, scrub cover and rabbits (although all the rabbits have gone since the cat appeared) After a couple of weeks being seen, the cat(s) went and have not been seen again at this location but note we have other sightings for Ibstock and nearby in this Autumn
Note that the cat is seen walking below the ridge on the reverse slope as the land drops sharply behind the cat. This gives it a lower profile
The thickset legs and body are clear in this shot which looks less domestic and more Panther like.
In the shot below, the cats piercing green eyes (described by the witnesses) are clearly seen
I have asked the owners of the lake who took these pics to notify us ASAP if it comes back (as they feed the foxes so it may do) and also to put some sort of reference along the ridge such as plant pots to get some scaling
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