Big cat sightings
5th August 2025
Our Ref: FOI2025/05843
Request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 Ref No: FOI2025/05843
I write in connection with your request for information received on 8th July. I note you seek access to the following information:
-
- Within the last 5 years, how many 'big cat' sightings have been recorded within the counties of Devon & Cornwall? (This would exclude anything regarding 'domestic-size' cats, with the report potentially mentioning either panther/black leopard, lynx or puma/mountain lion-type sightings/encounters)
- Within the last 5 years, how many 'big cat' sightings have been recorded within the counties of Devon & Cornwall? (This would exclude anything regarding 'domestic-size' cats, with the report potentially mentioning either panther/black leopard, lynx or puma/mountain lion-type sightings/encounters)
Broken down by month and location if possible.
• Could the approx. location of each sighting please be disclosed, as well as whether an officer followed-up, in-person, on the report - and if there was any outcome to the animal
Apologies - I meant in Cambridgeshire
I am required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (The Act) to handle all requests in a manner that is blind to the identity of the requestor. Any information released in response to a request is regarded as being published and therefore, in the public domain without caveat.
Response - Following enquiries within the Constabulary please see our response below.
|
Month/Year |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
January |
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|
|
|
|
|
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February |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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March |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
April |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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May |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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June |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
July |
1 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
August |
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
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September |
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
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October |
|
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November |
|
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|
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|
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December |
|
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|
|
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|
Location |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Cambridge City |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Huntingdonshire |
|
2 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
East Cambridgeshire |
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
South Cambridgeshire |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
Huntingdonshire |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
Attendance |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
No attendance, logged for information and closed |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
No attendance, sighting was the previous day |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
No attendance, sighting was over an hour ago |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
No attendance, sighting was more than 12 hours ago |
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
No attendance, logged for information and closed |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
No attendance, sighting was not recent so information passed to rural crime team for awareness |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
The numerical data presented in this response is an un-audited snapshot of un-published data sourced from "live" systems and is subject to the interpretation of the original request by the individual extracting the data.