EEXPERTS say winter weather is the perfect conditions to hunt for big cats - after evidence of a 'mauling' was found in the snow.
The claim has been made after photos were released showing what some believe to be the remains of a big cat’s dinner found by a dog-walker in the Forest of Dean.
The photographs depict a gruesome scene, with various internal organs strewn across the snow-covered grass.
One striking image shows a lone pair of paw prints visible against the brilliant white snow in crimson red blood.
The photographs were taken by an off duty nurse walking her dogs in the woods behind Kensley Lodge in Cinderford, Gloucestershire.
The nurse said: "As I followed the footpath taking my usual route, I went round the corner and saw this mess. It was a bloodbath, and I really couldn’t tell whether the remains were that of a deer or a sheep. I took a couple of photos and decided to get out there quickly.
"The day before I was in the same area and heard weird growling noises that sounded sort of like a saw coming out of the bushes as I approached with my dogs.
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"I thought it sounded like a wild boar with a bad cough, but I could feel the noises through the ground vibrating on my feet. We didn’t walk any closer and left immediately.”
According to wildlife expert, Carl Marshall, from award-winning hit documentary Panthera Britannia Declassified: “As autumn gives way to winter, there are a several things which can go in our favour, as researchers looking for big cats.
“Ground frosts can be problematic when it comes to tracking animals, but providing things don’t get too cold, some wintry weather can be very advantageous in the field.
"For example, wet weather can help wash away old animal tracks, whilst making the soil substrate soft enough to allow for accurate imprinting of fresh ones.
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“The loss of foliage from trees during colder months significantly reduces cover for wild animals and ambush predators that might otherwise use dense shrubs and tree canopies to hide, which may provide us with greater opportunities to view them.
“Big cats have great camouflage, but this could be further compromised in the event of snowfall, particularly for any melanistic cats – a black panther will stand out like a sore thumb in a blizzard covered landscape. And we get the same effect in this new photo, it’s the contrast in colours between the bloody paw print and the snow, which really makes it jump out.”
The latest 'evidence' comes after claims of a big cat being struck by a vehicle on the M49 near Bristol last month.
Witness Richy Cushing reported his sighting to a big cat research group on Facebook.
He said: “As you come off the M4 and down the M49 on the M5 there is a big black cat lying dead in the road. I couldn’t stop as I was towing my caravan but it was too big to be a domestic cat.”
Wildlife expert and taxidermist, Jon McGowan also starred in hit documentary Panthera Britannia Declassified, and is not surprised by this latest development.
He added: "Big cats are killed on British roads more commonly than you might think.
“The authorities have been known to send out teams of people in unmarked vehicles to recover the dead bodies of cats killed on our roads before the press or witnesses can record the evidence.
“I have a similar story myself.
“I once saw a dead cat on the roadside which was enormous, it could have been up to 9ft long including its tail. Other people thought the animal was a dead lion”.
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