Yet since the 18th Century, there have been rumours of much more fearsome beasts stalking British landscapes – namely a population of ABCs, or Anomalous or Alien Big Cats. These could range from a domestic moggy to a fully grown panther.
Big cats recently returned to the headlines following the discovery of two mauled deer carcasses at Woodchester Park in Gloucestershire, which seemed to show evidence of feline predation. The first recorded sightings of modern times date back to the early 1950s, when a large black feline dubbed the Surrey Puma was spotted prowling through the countryside near Farnham. Since then, there have been numerous other sightings – from the Cornish moors all the way to the Scottish hills – but conclusive evidence has proved elusive. Despite a wealth of grainy photos and shaky videos, no-one has been able to definitively prove that ABCs are at large.
As so often, DNA tests on the deer carcasses in Gloucestershire revealed another dead end: the only trace found on the carcasses was that of a fox, which most likely scavenged the creatures after death. For big cat believers, this is all par for the course. “There’s no doubt in my mind that big cats exist in Britain,” states Danny Bamping, a spokesman for the British Big Cats Society. “There’s simply too much good evidence to dismiss them as figments of people’s imaginations.”
While most sightings turn out to be nothing more sinister than house cats, some are harder to explain. After the introduction of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act in 1976, many private collectors are thought to have turned their animals loose. Since then, several large cats – including lynx, bobcats and leopard cats (smaller than leopards) – have been shot and killed on the British Isles, and in 1980 a tame puma called Felicity was captured in Scotland and moved to a Scottish zoo. Others are said to have interbred with domestic animals, leading to new varieties such as the Kellas cat – a hybrid with a wildcat – found in Scotland in 1984.
rumour-молва, слух
moggy-кошечка
feline-животное из семейства кошачих
predation-нищничество
moor-участок, поросший вереском
dub-обрубать, строгать
elusive-неуловимый
scavenge-чистить, очищать
dismiss-отпускать, распускать
sinister-зловещий,злой
bobcat-рысь
1.Do you like this text? 2.Tigers are dangerous or nice animals? 3.What is famous park in Gloucestershire? 4.When do people discover tigers on Isle? 5.What kinds of cats do you know? 6.Where were large cats killed? 7.Must people protect wild animals?
As for me, it is wonderful text!!! I like animals very much so i chose this article.I think you will be pleased when you read it!!
I find this article interesting.I like these animals,i enjoy these animals in a zoo.In my opinion,tiger is the most beautiful animal.Of course,this is a dangerous animal.
I think that it is a very cognitive text I like these animal.To tell the truth,I like all animals (except insects)When I was a child I wanted to have a wild cat
I like these animal.To tell the truth,I like all animals (except insects)When I was a child I wanted to have a wild cat 
