Two sightings of ‘big cats’ have been reported in Melksham over the past few months, adding to speculation about whether a panther or puma could be roaming in the area.
Simon Taylor, a resident of Snarlton Lane, said he saw a panther or puma in the early hours of a November morning. He was woken around 1.45am by the sound of one of his garden chairs being knocked over. When he looked outside, he claims to have caught a glimpse of a large cat sitting on the fence.
“It had a very thick tail and a long back,” said Simon, who worked as a professional head gardener for 50 years and is now retired. Simon later learned from a colleague that he too had a similar experience in 1968 in Studley Wood.
A second resident also reported a sighting of a panther or puma on the edge of Melksham on 1st December.
Rick Minter, a ‘big cat’ expert and host of the Big Cat Conversations UK podcast, said there have been various sightings across the Wiltshire area, including one in Chippenham in October.
Speaking about the December sighting in Melksham, he said, “The sighting occurred on the edge of the town and involved a usually fearless Jack Russell dog reacting by backing away swiftly. The cat then disappeared through a hedge as soon as the witness noticed it.”
“Could these different reports, if credible, be of the same cat?” Rick asked. “A female black panther (also called a black leopard) can have a territory of at least 20 square miles.”
Over the years, residents have reported several notable sightings, and Rick believes many of these ‘big cats’ were originally abandoned trophy pets.
“New generations of these cats seem to be well adapted to conditions in Britain,” he explained. “Mating black leopards only produce black offspring. These stealthy predators are culling deer and will likely target easier prey like rabbits and pigeons.”
While reports of big cats impacting sheep are rare, Rick suggests this might be because sheep are treated with chemical dips and sprays that deter predators. “These cats seem to prefer venison to mutton,” he added.
The Big Cat Conversations podcast has featured several witness reports of mothers and cubs across Britain. Five of its 129 episodes have included guests from Wiltshire, including a journalist and a retired police officer, who shared their own experiences of big cat sightings in the county. Both Chippenham and Melksham have been mentioned in these accounts.
In north Wiltshire, another podcast guest recounted a surprise encounter while metal detecting. After their dog reacted to a disturbance, a deer bolted out of a hedgerow, followed by a black leopard, which watched the deer before realising it was too far gone to be ambushed, the guest reported. The cat quickly retreated when it noticed the detectorists, they said.
“Although a few people have clear sightings, these cats are shy and elusive,” Rick added. “Given their secretive nature, they are rarely seen in their native countries. Working with landowners and witnesses is the best way to gather better evidence, and trail cameras have been set up on some Wiltshire landholdings due to reported big cat activity.”
Have you had a ‘big cat’ sighting? Contact us at news@melkshamnews.co.uk with your story.
Pictured: Simon Taylor at the location of the sighting
