Report from Ralph Barnett
Deer killed by big cat at RAF Leuchars?
By Michael Alexander in the Courier 28 th October 2003
FIRST IT was anti-war protesters, then it was foxes getting onto the base to savage 43(F) Squadron's pen of ''high security'' mascot cockerels. But now the perimeter fence at RAF Leuchars may have been breached by a new unwelcome intruder-North East Fifeās infamous big black cat.
The base confirmed yesterday that it was investigating the possibility that a dead deer found on the base on Saturday had been mauled by the area's legendary but still somewhat elusive feline fiend.
It is thought the deer may have jumped the perimeter fence onto the base from Tentsmuir Forest or Reres Wood. It was found dead by an RAF Police patrol inside the southern perimeter of the base near Guardbridge.
What remained unclear yesterday, however, was whether the deer had been hit by a car or whether it had been pursued by another animal-the big black cat-before meeting its end.
An RAF Leuchars spokesman told The Courier, ''We know someone found a deer on the base on Saturday that was dead.
''The RAF police found it and called in the RAF environmental people who have now consulted with external experts, including Fife Ranger Service.
''We do not know how it died-it would be wrong for me to speculate-but it has been suggested it was either hit by a car or attacked by the infamous black cat.''
The spokesman said it was an aim to keep the RAF Leuchars perimeter as secure as possible from human intruders.
The fences were not there to keep deer or other animals out, however, and while it was highly unusual for a dead animal to be found on the base, the fences might arguably be low enough for a deer-or a large feline-to jump in and out again.
The spokesman added, ''Security is down to patrolling. But I would imagine if there was a large cat or any other animal on the base at night when it was relatively quiet they would keep away from our patrols.
''If a plane fired up, they would certainly run a mile. But on Saturday the base was very quiet.''
Since the mid-1990s there have been over 50 alleged big cat sightings in North East Fife with over 25 in Angus.
Previous sightings have been in the Rathillet, Cupar, Newburgh, Crail and St Andrews areas.
A notable case was reported by The Courier in Leuchars village itself more than two years ago, when an RAF Leuchars air traffic controller and his wife told how they opened their back door one night and discovered a ''mysterious black animal'' with its ''foaming jaws'' clamped around their pet dog's throat.
Similar reports have come from across the UK with the British Big Cat Society suggesting there could be up to 70 of the elusive creatures prowling the countryside of Britain.
There is a belief that the introduction of the Dangerous Animals Act of 1976 encouraged people who kept wild cats to release them into the wild.
Other than sporadic sightings and the occasional attack in the UK, however, there has been no hard evidence whether these black cats-thought to be panthers and pumas-are on the loose.
The Courier, 28 th October 2003
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