‘Proof’ Big Cat of Cumbria exists as DNA discovered on mauled sheep | UK | News | EUROtoday

Scientists may have discovered “proof” the Big Cat of Cumbria exists after leopard DNA was discovered on a mauled sheep within the Lake District.

There have lengthy been rumours that large cats roam the British countryside with scientists at all times remaining “open-minded” to the chance.

But now professor Robin Allaby says a pattern taken from the useless sheep has ‘Panthera genus’ DNA which may solely have come from a lion, leopard, tiger, jaguar or snow leopard.

He described the findings as the primary scientific proof that the animals are current within the UK with a leopard almost certainly to be residing on British soil.

Mr Allaby informed the BBC: “It makes me a convert, on the balance of probabilities, I think this is a genuine hit.”

Cumbrian resident Sharon Larkin-Snowden found the stays in an undisclosed location within the Lake District in October after she disturbed the creature which had been feeding on the carcass.

She informed the BBC: “I saw something black, running, and I assumed at first it was a sheepdog.

“Then I did a double take and realised it was a black cat. It ran in direction of a stone wall, stopped after which jumped the wall. It was large – the dimensions of a German shepherd canine.”

Ms Larkin-Snowden took a swab of the carcass and sent it to Rick Minter, the host of the Big Cat Conversations podcast, who passed it on to Mr Allaby.

The sample was analysed at his University of Warwick lab and the findings prompted Mr Allaby to confirm it was not a fake.

He added: “If this have been a faux, I might anticipate loads of DNA to be current so that we might make sure to discover it.

“It would be very difficult to plant just a few molecules with any finesse – I don’t think I could do it, let alone a lay person.”