There is one thing that does not surprise me and that is how "big cats" have become an almost fantasy hobby like UFOs or Bigfoot. Anonymous posters come out with some absolute garbage and groups are drawn into the claims.
From 1977 until 2018 (anything after that is occasional) I was listed as the person for UK police forces to contact regarding wild living exotics in the UK -especially large cats. I saw the police photos and plaster casts and I heard back about (when it started being used) DNA test results on hair samples found.
The police at no point told me "You cannot talk about any of this!" and were quite open about reports. The main police concern was public safety because they knew there were people out there who would love to shoot a "big cat" and there were illegal exotic groups which is why no accurate locations were ever given out -also the press loves to print outrageous "killer cat in your back yard" stories.
We had plaster casts, we had DNA, we had photographic and other expert opinions of cat kills as well as scratch posts and in some cases the areas of cats was mapped.
Everything I did was as a naturalist and I never charged a penny as opposed to one "professional big cat hunter" who took hundreds of pounds from police forces to "track" a cat but never succeeded and his main aim was to shoot a "big cat" and get the press and TV attention -he even claimed on TV that there were "hundreds of big cats" in the UK. He passed away in the early 2000s so he cannot respond and I will leave it at that.
My greatest embarrassment was when I refused to let newspapers call me "Britain's Big Cat Hunter" so the title "Britain's Big Cat Detective" was used over and over "after all you are looking for evidence" is how one reporter defended the title. Only one photograph of myself ever saw print and you could not see my face as I was holding up binoculars!
Repeated posts about a person from a zoo who was called in by police and worked around the country and so was privileged to see all the big cat evidence but "He was not allowed to say any more" is honestly big cat poop. The odd zoo was asked whether someone could confirm a track and that was it.
Newspapers still call me up as do radio stations and TV companies but my reticence in stepping out in public again is that journalists cannot tell a straight story. For instance:
Cambrian News 30 05 2023 More evidence Beasts of Bont could be alive and breeding?
"British big cat expert Terry Hooper – who wrote a book on the subject released in December – told the Cambrian News: “Back in the 1990s we (myself and the police force involved) obtained hair that was identified as Panthera Pardus - leopard.
“We also obtained evidence of puma (kills, scratch posts, scat and more) as well as lynx.
“The current claim of DNA I cannot comment on as I have not seen the test results myself and as this is being used to promote documentary it carries no weight until confirmed. "
Which is correct to a degree but when it veers off to "a family of big cats" it is completely wrong. Apart from when rearing young there is no "big cat family" and when you are talking about puma -no "big cat" (journalist: "But it is bigger than a domestic cat so a Big cat!" ).
Gazette and Herald 03 05 2002 Big cats may be breeding, says expert
"Terry Hooper, who runs the Bristol-based Exotic Animals Register, believes this cat could be one of a family.
A woman horserider in Highworth saw two smaller cats pass her path, which Mr Hooper believes to be the offspring of the larger cat.
He said: "They were reported not so far from another bigger cat.
"The sighting of a larger animal, probably a male, in the area, means that in a month or so, we may be hearing the patter of tiny paws."
"They have had a really good time recently there are wild rabbits, deer, and ducks and geese, so they have got plenty of food. Therefore there is no reason for them not to breed."
Note: "probably a male, in the area, means that in a month or so, we may be hearing the patter of tiny paws." I did NOT say such a bloody stupid thing!!
Then
The Observer 09 02 2003 Britain's big cats strike back
"Terry Hooper, co-ordinator of the Exotic Animal Register, which has compiled hundreds of big cat sightings since the Seventies, said: 'Politically it's become a very hot potato.'
After Cole's attack, Hooper contacted the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, offering to share his data but claims the department did not respond."
Well, I never used the phrase "a very hot potato" for a start but I suppose that my long explanation of how things worked in government agencies might have been hard to understand (I am being sarcastic there).
Yes, DEFRA did refuse to cooperate and told outright and provable lies regarding exotic cats but I clearly explained to this reporter how DEFRA created every difficulty it could to get me off the Partnership Against Wildlife Crimes roster -even ignoring two chief constables and a number of other senior policeman who backed me.
DEFRA also at one point threatened to legally seize all of my maps and files in the name of "public safety"; I have no idea why the person said such a stupid thing and most of my information is in my head but I made it clear that any such threats would result in court action. Now, DEFRA trying to cover up and "silence an expert witness"? Uh...the Observer reporter never picked up on that!
Police have known about large cats (again; there is only one known member of the Big cat family in the UK and that is the panther. Pumas are not Big cats)since the 1980s, as has the Home Office and vets, farmers, some zoologists and many others. There is no cover up conspiracy. No "You must never talk about this" warnings. The only people who believe any of this seem to be on Big Cat groups and none of these has accepted my offer of looking at the best evidence they have to confirm it all and the maps they are putting together are so off its incredible.
Mind you -am I part of the cover up?
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