This is something I hear again and again from so called "big cat experts". It may just be that wearing black or combat uniforms in their living rooms has scrambled their brains and they are fantasising. No idea. I really believe some of them just make this stuff up as it makes them sound like "fighters for the truth" rather than idiots.
There is one thing that I shared with my (no longer with us) contemporaries who were all field naturalists and didn't just hold a two hour "big cat watch" -cooperation from police forces. The police needed answers or guidance so it made sense that they went to naturalists as most zoologists were too scared of being quoted or drawn in to the subject (and spent very little time in the field).
I once went to see the DEFRA (Dept of Environment Farming and Rural Affairs) exotics spokesmena when it was still MAFF and he was based in Bristol. I went up to reception and told the person I was there to meet ----- and my folder was stared at for a few seconds and I was asked "Oh, is it about big cats?" I said it was. The person went off and came back with a rather flushed looking DEFRA man who was way too polite! I was told that we could chat in his office and when we got there I took out some plaster casts I had in my shoulder bag. "Oh!" he said looking at them "they do look like the ones we have"
He then opened a cabinet drawer -one of the big map cabinets. There, labelled "lynx", "Puma" and "p. pardus" (leopard) were about twenty plaster casts and they lookd like they had all been professionally checked out. So I took mine over to the cabinet and we were comparing when I said "I knew MAFF had tracks but a few more than I expected". Heturned to me and looked shocked and red faced: "You're from London?" I told him I was not and explained we had spoken over the phone. I was then very quickly ushered out with a "please direct all enquiries in writing" and that was it.
Turns out he had been told by the desk person that I was from London -having seen one of the documents sticking out of the folder.
Up until that point I had not really believed that MAFF/DEFRA had good quality plaster casts of exotic cat prints.
Years later another secretary put me through to the Welsh Chief Veterinary officer and we were discussing livestock kills when I was asked "Who are you again?" As soon as I identified myself I was told very rudely that I had no business contacting her and the phone was put down. After that incident some farmers were told -told- that any animal suspeced of being killed by a cat should be reported to them first and not be reported to me.
Very long story but one day an irate farmer contacted me to ask what was going on with the sheep -was it killed by the cat or not? I had no idea what he was talking about. He explained that one of his sheep had been killed and that it had looked like "one of the cats again" and mentioned it to his vet. Within an hour a white van pulled up and the farmer met a man claiming to work for me and I had, apparently, told him to pick up the sheep to post mortem and we would let him know results within a week. Well, I worked with only two other people (not in Wales) and we had no white vans let alone the ability to PM a dead animal. So who was it?
The week afterthe farmers phone call another phoned. Based in Wales and he had helped me with livestock losses before. He was also a very respected man who worked with MAFF/DEFRA to explain policies to farmers in the region. He was a drinking pal with one of the officials and over a drink he mentioned another sheep that had been killed and partially eaten. His companion said in a hushed tone: "That hasnt been reported on has it? We dont want that ***** in Bristol to get his hands on the evidence". He was asked to explain and was told that "Terry Hooper is a ***** pain" (I felt so proud!). After the chat the farmer went back to his place to get the form I had provided him and to get a camera to go see the farmer who had found the new kill.
He told me: "It took about an hour or just over as there had been a road slip on the way over. Also some bloody fool in a van almost hit my Landrover. I got there and explained to the farmer I needed to get details and photos of the dead sheep. Well, he just stared at me and said 'Terry Hooper? He was just here and took the sheep off in his van -you just missed him!' -that's why I called you and you've made a six hour journey home to Bristol in two hours!"
Obviously I was not driving a van with a dead sheep in. 'I' was described as sandy haired (no) and about 6 feet tall (no) and clean shaven (no). Apparently this mysterious person had turned up in a rush and explained he needed the sheep and put it into the back of the van -"had an inbuilt cage like some vets use".
This was all very silly really. I was a naturalist and could have helped if only as an advisor as I did with UK police forces. Everyone from naturalists, some zoologists, farmers unions and police forces knew the various cats were here. Thanks to a back-stabber on the team we were prevented -by DEFRA- from fitting a radio tracking collar on a puma in Wales and taking samples for testing because if we trapped the cat "the law is quite clear; you either humanely destroy (kill) the cat or take it to a zoo or other animal facility".
I even have the signed affidavits of veterinarians having "put down" trapped cats.
This is common practice with any exotic -considered an invasive species- and killing raccoon like dogs, etc has even been reported in newspapers "because they are considered an invasive species".
DEFRA obviously prefers not to publicise trapping and killing as most would explain that a true survey/study needs to be undertaken as some cat species are on record as living in certain areas for over three hundred years and in fact there has been no detriment to UK wildlife -some estate owners and game keepers report deer herds for instance being stronger and free of sick or straggling members because of cats.
It is not a cover up just bureaucrats following every rule without question because they do not want a fuss or to attract a lot of protest. They are not a National Carnivore or wildlife advisory. They are "keyboard tappers".
This is why absolutely nothing I have learnt since 1977 will ever see print. Hunting and killing protected species as well as other wildlife continues seemingly unabated (it is why the locations of foxes and badgers are closely protected by people). And there are the illegal hunting groups. Until the laws are changed everything stays unpublished and goes with me to the grave.
The police, however, never once (with the exception of West Midlands and Devon and Cornwall police who did not enjoy good reputations so it was expected) got in the way and their wildlife crimes officers knew what was going on and we regularly spoke. PWCOs from the Northern Constabulary (now Police Scotland), Dyfed-Powys, West Mercia, Kent and so on we exchanged and briefed each other. The EAR Bulletin went to the Home Office as well as all UK police forces.
The main concern of the police, whichever force, is to protect the public and not to create a panic. On three occasions over the years I have seen how such panics have been caused and in all three cases the reports were hoaxes.
Therefore when you see the current crop of 'experts' (before they jump to the next craze) talk about government and police cover ups remember that they have no experience or idea whatthey are saying. this is their hobby.
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