"My colleague is completely incorrect...."

I was just contacted by a professor at a British university. Nothing unusual in that except he was asking about a certain 'big cat' photo but then told me about a recent incident.

"We had two radio journalists and were discussing non native and introduced species. My colleague, a senior lecturer, began to joke about this and made reference to your EAR and you having had nothing better to do than chase mythical cats around the countryside"

I was told this academic's name -never heard of him and as far as I can tell he has never looked at exotic reports. I was told that the top man at the university being present then interjected:

"My colleague is completely incorrect. Mr Hooper has published private papers as well as co-authored reports with academics and is a noted naturalist with a specialisation in canids and felids and began his work forty odd years ago before my esteemed colleague had even gone to university"

What?!

It seems that the 'junior' academic had been very mouthy of late and this "defamation" in front of journalists was the last straw.,  He made his rebuttal and everyone moved on to the next topic.

I have no idea what is going on but it is nice to have a senior academic sing your praises.

Sadly, it does not make me money! :-)

Never ever accept a photograph before fully investigating

In the last month or so there have been at least five (5) photographs-not very detailed ones- of a "big cat" or a "panther or jaguar" from the Somerset, Devon and Wiltshire counties.

These photographs are all too dark or blurry -in some cases it looks like the same cat. Of course I reported on the attempt by cryptozoologists to hoax me by sending me a photo of a "puma crossing the road" -it was in fact a lioness and I tracked the original photo down quickly.

Anyone reporting a big cat, photo or not, is guaranteed anonymity and that guarantee has never been broken by me since 1977,  That's a good while ago and I could have made quite a bit of money had I taken the route of many of the UKs 'big cat' experts. I am not in this work to make money.,

I need to point out that there is only one member of the big cat family known to be in the UK and not, as many claim, simply the result of the 1976 Dangerous Wild Animals Act. That cat is the leopard -Panthera pardus and despite what you might read there have been reports of the regular leopard.  We have DNA, hairs, paw print casts and so on.

There has never been a genuine report of a Jaguar running wild in the UK. Nor have any genuine tiger reports been received.

"Big cat filmed eating domestic cat in London" was a ginger domestic quite clearly eating a pigeon.

Rather like ufologists and 'ghost hunters' who fake things or jump onto obviously fake stories because "it keeps the publicity and attention going" so it seems that there are a few cryptozoologists and people involved in the 'big cat' business out to push or distribute fake "British big cat" photographs mostly all originating from Mr Anonymous.  None are contactable so you cannot ask any questions or verify whether they are genuine or not. Convenient.

the Press ans media do not care because these are all silly "filler" stories.  They have absolutely no interest in proving that there are exotic -now native after many generations- cats living in the UK.

I was once approached by a national newspaper -The Sun- and offered a substantial amount of money for maps to where "all the big cats are" as well as contact details of all the witnesses and any copies of communications between myself and police forces. My response (and I REALLY did need money) was "No". A few months after I appeared on a local TV programme I was contacted by a reporter from The Mirror newspaper who offered the same deal (but a little more money).  Same response from me.

You see, they both wanted the maps to pay "big game hunters" out to see if they could "get (kill) a cat".  Many people from estate game wardens, estate owners, wildlife groups and even members of the public only gave details when they were satisfied I was NOT a "hunter"!  Some of those grillings were very thorough.

Breaching a guarantee of anonymity given to a witness or other people? Never.

Passing on copies of confidential correspondence with UK police forces...that really was pushing things.  Never happen.

TV and newspapers are only interested in the fast news item. Publish/broadcast what you can get then move on. 

The BBC Natural History unit once had a series of meetings with myself as well as more reputable 'cat' people.  They were impressed by the evidence and everything was going great guns -I even knew of one farm where a large cat was seen regularly in the evening and at night so cameras could be set up.  Suddenly, no explanation, the BBC pulled out and no longer wanted to discuss the matter -after months of work on my part and in getting people willing to speak on camera.

No offers to fund field work for exclusive rights to broadcast any new evidence.  TV and Media are not into that.

Hoaxers sending out anonymous 'big cat' photographs do far more harm than any silly DEFRA statement on cats in the UK.

So be aware of this fakery.  Never ever accept a photograph before fully investigating.,