Big Cat Conversations

Our first guest John witnessed a “freckled” black panther in north Devon in June 2020, suggesting inbreeding in the cat, while our second guest Dan was confronted by a panther on Dartmoor whilst on h…

Our first guest Richard once shot a medium-large sized cat in southern England but wants to film a big cat now, while our second guest Andrew and his dogs were followed by a panther by the river Seve…

Béa our guest from Dorset was shocked by a large cat high in a tree – she rushed for a camera as it leapt from branch to branch, and we also hear from Scott Bainbridge about New Zealand big cat sight…

Angela describes her close encounters when dog-walking in Somerset big cat hot-spots over 30 years, and we also hear Clare Balding’s surprise sighting of a panther in Herefordshire in 2014, recorded …

Wendy explains her puma and jaguar encounters in Columbia and checking for puma tracks in Cornwall - she recounts her former zoo work and her experience on deeper connections with owls, bears and big…

We discuss big cats and horses with horse trainer Richard – he has seen a black panther in Warwickshire and a puma in California, while our second guest Rachel describes the impacts of a large cat at…

With black panthers reported in many States of America, Michael Mayes, author of Shadow Cats considers the case for undetected black jaguars, black pumas and other candidates.

Michael also compares th…

John our guest watched a mother and cub at close quarters in Shropshire, making him determined to photograph a big cat - he got his wish 5 years later in a Herefordshire wood.

Word of the week: melani…

Rhoda and Jay discuss searching for wildlife, people and big cats, by using tracking skills and senses, and thermal drones.

Jay describes a black panther seen against the bright landscape of China cla…

Craig recounts his time as a countryside ranger at Forfar Loch in Angus when he twice encountered a jungle cat. Several visitors also glimpsed the cat(s) and were more fascinated than fearful.

Rick th…

We join Alyn and Neil as they stake out the Forest of Dean and find a large wild boar carcass, eaten-out and despatched by a wild predator. They explain a recent big cat sighting through their therma…

From a Forest of Dean pub four guests discuss their big cat encounters. 

We hear from local residents Meri and Walter, Tim from Gloucester and James from Shropshire. They compare their different panth…

John our first guest farms in Wiltshire where he lives alongside black panthers – they’ve been resting in his barn and strolling across pastures… 

Neil our second guest farms in Cornwall amongst local…

Our guest Paul recounts his big cat encounters at Glenfinnan and then at Arthur’s Seat near the heart of Edinburgh, where the police also documented a big cat. Paul also re-lives his experience confr…

Peter our guest explains the challenge of living with a freshly released black panther around his property in southern Spain. (An area which is not part of the Iberian lynx’s range).

As he realised a …

Cumbrian sculptor Shawn Williamson recounts his view of a panther spooking deer in the back lanes of the Lake District. He explains how panthers and big cats inspire some of his sculpture making.

Rick…

Lincolnshire witnesses Wendy and Angela discuss the quandary of spreading the word about local big cats amongst sceptical neighbours.  

Wendy was growled at by a puma when she disturbed it stalking fe…

Our guest Peter Taylor suggests that rewilding helps nature and the human soul. He meets Rick at Wild Place, a new outpost of Bristol Zoo. Here brown bears, wolves and lynx can be viewed in a British…

We meet Gareth who lives in Gateshead district in north-east England. He describes how he had a surprise view of a puma stalking a deer on holiday in Florida a few years back. He then explains what h…