Evidence that there are big cats roaming the British countryside? Documentary filmmakers discover ‘clearest photo ever’ of panther-like creature lying in long grass in Staffordshire
- The photo shows a large muscular black cat lying in the long grass in Smallthorne
- It was found in archive files by the deputy director of a zoology center
Documentary filmmakers have discovered what they say is the clearest photo ever of a big cat prowling the British countryside.
The photo was discovered in the archives of a zoology organization and shows a large muscular black cat lying in long grass in Smallthorne, Staffordshire.
It was accompanied by a handwritten note dated March 17, but it’s unclear what year it was taken.
Experts said if the photo is genuine, it is “probably the best photo of a British big cat in existence.”
The image is presented as one of several possible pieces of evidence supporting the existence of such cats in rural Britain as part of an award-winning documentary.
Documentary filmmakers have discovered what they say is the ‘clearest picture ever’ of a big cat prowling the British countryside
The photo shows a large muscular black cat lying in long grass in Smallthorne, Staffordshire
The photo was unearthed by the deputy director of a zoology center when he was working in their archives.
He said: ‘The picture is unequivocal, it is clearly a large cat of the genus Panthera, and it is so clear that we can even see its whiskers.
“The photo was attached to a mysterious handwritten letter, which has a date with no year, is not signed with a full name, and has no sender’s address.
“But it does say the photo was taken and if it’s real, it’s probably the best picture of a British big cat in existence.”
The documentary Panthera Britannia Declassified, released on Amazon Prime by Dragonfly Films, also includes new DNA evidence showing the presence of at least one feral big cat near a sheep death in Gloucestershire in July 2022.
Producer Tim Whittard said, “This amazing lost photo and amazing new scientific discovery are only a fraction of the collective evidence seen in the film.
‘The documentary is mainly data-driven. We used real science and real experts and tried to be as objective and analytical as possible.
“The research process for this show was intensive and exhaustive, taking us thousands of hours in various archives, libraries, museums and laboratories, as well as in the field and meeting hundreds of eyewitnesses.
The result is a stunning journey of discovery for viewers that really brings out this serious zoological problem.
‘The story is actually sad – these majestic big cats could be legally owned without a license in the UK until 1976 and were very popular, seen as fashionable status symbols at the time.
“As the laws around exotic animal ownership changed, many people let their big cats loose in the countryside.
“So essentially the animals people see today are for the most part descendants of abandoned pets.”
Panthera Britannia Declassified is now available for purchase and rent on Amazon Prime. It will also air on TV in the UK later this year as part of a special program week on Blaze (Freeview channel 64).