A big cat prowled the Devon countryside more than a century ago, rediscovered remains from a museum’s vaults have shown.
Scientists identified the creature as a Canadian lynx, a predator more than twice the size of a domestic cat.
Records show that the animal, thought to have escaped or been released from captivity, was shot by a Devon landowner in the early 1900s after it killed two dogs.
Scientists identified the creature as a Canadian lynx, a predator more than twice the size of a domestic cat. Records show that the animal, thought to have escaped or been released from captivity, was shot by a Devon landowner in the early 1900s after it killed two dogs.
THE CANADA LYNX
The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) is a member of the cat family, Felidae, and around twice the size of a domestic cat.
It is a secretive and mostly nocturnal animal, although it may be active at any time of day.
It usually feeds on snowshoe hares, but will also eat rodents and birds, and sometimes hunt larger prey such as deer.
It is the first proven case of an exotic big cat being at large in Britain.
'This Edwardian feral lynx provides concrete evidence that although rare, exotic felids (cats) have occasionally been part of British fauna for more than a century,' said lead researcher Dr Ross Barnett, from the University of Durham.
'The animal remains are significant in representing the first historic big cat from Britain.'
Sightings of mystery 'beasts' have largely been blamed on the introduction of the 1976 Wild Animals Act, which curbed a growing fashion for exotic and potentially dangerous pets.
Some owners were thought to have freed their animals into the wild to avoid falling foul of the law.
The new research provides further evidence debunking this theory, say the experts.
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In fact there is a long history of big cats being at large in the UK, they claim.
'You definitely shouldn’t scoff at people reporting eye witness testimonies of big cats in Britain, but these are rare events,' said Dr Barnett.
Canadian Lynx in the wild.It is a member of the cat family, Felidae, and around twice the size of a domestic cat
'If everyone who thought they had seen a black panther in the British countryside had actually seen one the population would be so large that we would see them all the time.
'The jury is still out on the local big cat legends - until someone finds a body of a big cat, that would be the conclusive proof people are looking for.'
Dr Barnett ruled out suggestions that the lynx, or a relative of it, could still be roaming the Cornish moors as the ‘Beast of Bodmin’.
He said the lynx is grey and is not believed to have mated, while the Cornish cat is reported to be black and was only spotted many years later.
Although he said he is “sure this will fuel speculation” a giant cat prowls the area.
How the lynx made its way to British shores remains a mystery but experts say it would have survived the by devouring rabbits and other small mammals.
Humans had little to fear from the usually solitary beast, which only attacks man if it is being attacked or captured.
Face to face: The animal's skeleton and mounted skin was analysed by a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and researchers at Southampton, Durham, Bristol, and Aberystwyth universities and found to be a Canadian lynx
The carnivorous predator, which is twice the size of a normal domestic feline, is the earliest example of an 'alien big cat' at large in Britain and will fuel rumours the mysterious Beast of Bodmin is its descendant
A wild Lynx, which usually feeds on snowshoe hares, but will also eat rodents and birds, and sometimes hunt larger prey such as deer.
The lynx skeleton was recovered from an underground storeroom at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.
Records also unearthed at the museum show that the animal had originally been mislabelled by curators in 1903 as a Eurasian lynx.
The Eurasian lynx was once an indigenous British species but had almost certainly become extinct by the 7th century AD.
Laboratory analysis of the Bristol specimen’s bones and teeth indicated that it had been kept in captivity long enough to develop severe tooth loss.
Dr Darren Nash, from the University of Southampton, who co-authored the research published in the journal Historical Biology, said: 'There have been enough sightings of exotic big cats which substantially pre-date 1976 to cast doubt on the idea that one piece of legislation made in 1976 explains all releases of these animals in the UK.
'It seems more likely that escapes and releases have occurred throughout history, and that this continual presence of aliens explains the ‘British big cat’ phenomenon.'
Colleague Dr Greger Larson, from the University of Durham, said: 'Every few years there is another claim that big cats are living wild in Britain, but none of these claims have been substantiated.
'It seems that big cats are to England what the Loch Ness monster is to Scotland.
Records also unearthed at the museum show that the animal had originally been mislabelled by curators in 1903 as a Eurasian lynx. It will now go on public display at Bristol Museum
'By applying a robust scientific methodology, this study conclusively demonstrates that at least one big cat did roam Britain as early as the Edwardian era, and suggests that additional claims need to be subjected to this level of scrutiny.'
The lynx is now on public display at the Bristol Museum.
Julie Finch, head of Bristol's Museums, Galleries & Archives, said: 'Bristol Museum, Galleries and Archives were pleased to be a part of this ground-breaking research, which not only highlights the importance of our science collections, it establishes the pedigree of our 100-year old Lynx and adds to our knowledge and understanding of 'big cats' in the UK.'
Dr Ross Barnett, of Durham University's Department of Archaeology, said: 'This Edwardian feral lynx provides concrete evidence that although rare, exotic felids have occasionally been part of British fauna for more than a century.'