Residents fear a big cat may be on the prowl in a UK beauty spot after a deer was found gruesomely torn to pieces.
The grisly discovery was made by a farmer in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, on Thursday morning. Cotswolds farmer Jimmy Adams was carrying out a check on his land when he spotted the animal carcass.
The poor animal had been killed with its skin ripped from its abdomen and insides devoured, Jimmy said. Having not been there the previous night, Jimmy fears the animal may have been the victim of a fearsome predator.
The deer also had one ear missing while its tongue was hanging to one side.
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The remains of the deer (pixellated) believed to have been killed by a big cat
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Image:
Jam Press/Jimmy Adams)
Shocked Jimmy told What’s The Jam: “Being a farmer I have seen plenty of dead animals over the years. But this one looked very different.
“Given the time scale from death to discovery was very short. I have been contacted by some big cat experts and they are very sure that a big cat is responsible.”
Members of the public also believe the kill to be linked to much larger beast such as a panther. “It definitely looks like how big cats eat prey,” said local resident Arne Wicks. “Very clean and skin peeled, organs gone, ribs picked clean.”
Mike Duberry added: “One ear missing, tongue hanging out, typical sign of suffocation, internal organs gone, eaten very neatly over a short period. All typical signs of a big cat.”
Harold said: “Looks like a cat kill.” Liam Widdington added: “It’s very clean whatever has done it.” The grisly find came as several large wild cats have been spotted in the Scottish Highlands this week.
Two lynxes were spotted near Kingussie in the Cairngorms, close to where two others were captured on Thursday, police said. Members of the public have been urged not to approach the animals as police work alongside specially-trained personnel to capture them.