This summer we rented a corn mill apartment just north of St. Clears. I am an ex National Trust warden on a sheep moorland estate, so am used to dead sheep and their decay, and effects of different animals on corpses. I noticed a dead sheep in the field overlooked from our accomodation. It was a full carcass, complete with fleece, two buzzards were in attendence when I first spotted it and I took photos.
The next morning I was flabergasted, when I looked out with bino's there was just a rib cage sticking up several yards from the original resting position. I went to investigate with the farmer, we were flummuxed to say the least.
The body had been dragged some five yards or so, there was no fleece, normaly a scavenged sheep has bits of fleece scattered all around the area, there was no sign of any wool or fleece. The meat entrails everything had been stripped leaving just the skeleton. One foreleg had been torn off, presumably during the dragging of the body, and was missing.
Now I have never seen a full sheep stripped like that, overnight. Where had the fleece gone? What had the strength to drag a dead sheep? Anyone who has had to dispose of a sheeps body would tell you what 'dead' weight means, and how could anything strip all the insides and meat in just one night. A family of foxes was suggested but even several pulling together could not have dragged it, nor did it fit with their scavenging habits, and I am sure I would have heard a family squabbling.
I have several foxes living near me and watch them every night, I would I know have heard them, and it just does not fit, they scatter the fleece and only scavenge areas of the carcass. Dogs, well they would have to be very large and again would only selectively ravage.
This was clean clinical, very efficient and whatever it was is large and powerful, I could only conclude a large cat or a pack of very hungry hyenas! Weird. I found the fleece, whole, a couple of days later about 80 yards away from the original carcass.
your comments
We're making some changes to the sites shortly and although this form will be closing, you will have other opportunities to contribute on our new-look site.
Gareth Paterson from Northumberland
There have been recent sightings of a "big foot" type creature in Northumberland, I haven't seen the video but it has been posted on Youtube and is causing a bit of a stir in the local area.
Wed Apr 29 14:03:10 2009
Jo, Aberkenfig
It is possible that wild cats have escaped into the wild having been brought into Wales on ships into the ports of Cardiff and Swansea. Seafarers sometimes smuggled home exotic animals which died when the owners weren't able to supply the right conditions. Large cats were released when they became too big or aggressive to manage in a domestic context.
Tue Mar 24 15:30:45 2009
Alice St Clears
I live in St Clears and my neighbour has a huge cat and there are loads of other overfed cats here because they have like three different homes, but they arent killers people are just overreacting when they see a fat cat.
Wed Jan 21 12:15:44 2009
gareth paterson from northumberland
I have also seen a killer whale just off the coast of my nearest fishing village of Amble, North Northumberland. I was fishing for Sprats offshore when it elegantly protruded the water. I know of other local fishermen who have had similar sightings - there was a famous dolphin in the same location called Freddy so perhaps the killer whales are following a similar stream of ocean current?
Fri Jul 6 12:39:18 2007
Daisy
I've seen one in Haverfordwest walking along the side of the road on the by pass which joins Blands to the roundabout to St Davids. It was only 30 meters from me. I could see it clear as day.
Mon Jan 15 09:49:50 2007
garth paterson from northumberland
I have seen a large cat in northumberland near a village called hadston, south broomhill whilst out hunting, one cleared a hedge at one side of the road and then stared at me then sleekily walked over to the other side of the road and cleared the hedge at the other side
Mon Feb 13 12:51:26 2006
Alun, Builth wells
My family & I farm on the outskirts of Builth Wells during 2004 we lost at least seven 40 kilo healthy lambs their throats were completely ripped out, there was no sign of any wool surrounding them one was even on the edge of a ravine if it had been chased and dragged down it would have gone over the top. We reported the matter to the National Assembly who sent someone out to collect the carcases for examination he told me that he was picking up similar carcases weekly from all around Wales.
The results we recieved back proved to be incoclusive as we were told that when the blood of the predator mixes with its victims the dna is unrecognisable,I asked at the time what was the point of collecting the carcases then.
Sat Nov 12 19:19:54 2005
Castleman , Cardiff
On the weekend of 27 June 2005 ,I was in Tenby and at about 11 o clock at night while down on the beach ,I saw an animal about the size of a big cat this was also black, I stood still it stared at me then ran into the undergrowth.
Wed Oct 19 10:53:08 2005
May!! - Aberystwyth
I was out riding up on some farm land when my horse was spooked by something and there in front of my eyes was a huge black cat it was about the same size as a big dog. As it came nearer to us, my horse started to paw at the ground in fear then the cat turned round and went into the bracken and as it did I went!! But it was really weird I would have thought I would have run but I just wanted to watch it even though it was coming very slowly towards me!!!
Wed Sep 21 21:58:49 2005
Matthew Bristol
I havent seen no big cat in St Clears and i stayed there last year
Tue Sep 6 12:00:23 2005
Allen, Haverfordwest
Saw the tail end of one near Llanybri disappearing into a hedge on the 10-8-05,
before this I thought it was just tales, but now I know.
Sun Aug 14 09:34:34 2005
Katie - St.Clears
Its so...exciting!! I would love to see it, but not up close. I wouldnt know what to do. Where about in St. Clears were you? I've been keeping my eye out for it!! I've seen rather huge foot prints in the woods!!! Crazy!
Wed Jul 27 17:30:33 2005
Paul Ley from USA
Certainly I believe during WWII many people had exotic animals... let them go... so I see no reason some even hybrids survive to this day.
Sun Jun 19 01:13:07 2005
Rhys Jones from Aberdare
I really hope I don't encounter one of these big cats they could kill you and will attack. Other than that I think it's all very exciting to have big cats in Wales.
Mon Apr 25 11:20:09 2005
Ben Holmes, Llanfyllin
One day I was waiting in the car for my dad and a big black panther walked just about five yards behind the car, I was frozen with fear after seeing and hearing what they can do in documentaries. I didn't tell anyone who was with me at the time, so now no-one believes me.
Tue Mar 22 07:40:28 2005
Ben Zakay from London
Very entertaining...ooh.
Tue Jan 25 13:39:11 2005
Phebe Cooper, Newquay
A classic example of a big cat kill including the pulled-off foreleg, fleece neatly removed and bones licked clean. I have seen a number of these over the past few years. They are nothing like dog kills or carcasses scavenged by foxes and buzzards.
I have seen and heard big cats and so have many people in this area. They are just a fact of life around here.
Sat Jan 1 10:12:41 2005
Michelle Evans Swansea
I haven't seen the big cat but people I know have said that they have.
Tue Dec 21 18:36:18 2004
Freya Williams from Port Talbot
I think this could be the work of a big cat as there are a lot in the wild, especially in the west.
Thu Dec 16 12:39:11 2004
Chris Roe
I have seen a huge goat that attacked my father, and it was ready to kill me as well!!!
Fri Nov 26 13:59:37 2004
Daniel
Yes there is a panther up in Trevethin, Pontypool South Wales up by the golf course.
Wed Nov 10 10:24:29 2004
What do you think of what Howard saw? Add your comments here.
