A possible black panther sighting has raised concerns in Gloucestershire after a walker captured an image of a large cat-like animal.
The sighting occurred in the village of Thrupp, near Stroud, on a morning walk, and experts believe the creature could be a black panther.
The walker, who remained anonymous, encountered the animal in a wooded area. He initially thought it was a dog but soon realized it moved like a feline.
“At first, I wasn’t alarmed, thinking it was just a family pet,” he explained. “But when I noticed its movements, I quickly took a few photos and backed away.”
Frank Tunbridge, a wildlife enthusiast who has spent decades researching big cat sightings in the UK, reviewed the images and described the animal as “streamlined” with characteristics typical of a black panther.
Tunbridge noted that the long tail with a tuft, seen in the photo, is a distinctive feature of leopards. He added, “This type of cat is perfectly adapted for hunting swift prey, like deer, here in the UK.”
The sighting follows other recent reports of big cats in the British countryside. In Wales, experts have linked pumas to several sheep deaths, citing precise, non-random attacks.
Farmers in Snowdonia reported seeing large claw marks on trees, signs that a large predator might be marking its territory.
Tunbridge, 73, believes the presence of big cats in the UK can be traced back to the release of exotic animals after introducing the Dangerous Animals Act in 1976.
He explained that the big cat seen in Gloucestershire could be part of a population adapted to the British environment over the years.
The anonymous walker shared that two colleagues were nearby during the sighting but did not see the animal themselves.
“They were shocked when I showed them the pictures,” he said. Although he has no plans to search for the creature again, he plans to remain vigilant when working there.
Tunbridge’s research suggests that sightings like this one represent the majority of big cat reports in the UK, and he believes this animal could be part of a hybrid species now thriving in the wild.
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