Report from Chris Smith
Large Black Cat seen in Pentland Hills
8 th August 2003
Date and Time: 08/08/03
13.10
Location: Harlaw Resevior
317880,664920 (roughly)
Description: Jet Black, 1.5m long, 1m tall, Big strong shoulders. Pointed ears. I wasn't hanging around.
Movement: Cat like prowling. Shoulders moving up and down as it circled me and my friend in a hunting style.
Noise: No
Duration: About three or four seconds.
Distance: About ten feet away. It was in bushes at the side of the road, we heard it rustling, had a look. Had another look, made up my mind and ran.
Weather: Sunny, heatwave.
Evidence: Footprints by the dried up resevior. River left. Local police wildlife officer found the footprints.
Other_witnesses: Friend.
He had a good look and then ran too.
Reference: Looking up big cats on google to prove to another friend the panther existed.
Additional: The local SSPCA officer (one mile away)said all the staff there had seen it from a distance and our sighting was probably the closest anybody has been to the beast.
8 th August 2003
Follow up
We did report the sighting to the police as it was very close to where a lot of pensioners walk their dogs. The police have since contacted me to say it was not a cat print by the river.
It was the SSPCA officer who told us it was a Panther and he was quite enthusiastic as we were closer than anybody who has reported it to them before.
I'm not sure if the policeman actually believed the story, and we haven't spoken to the press yet. Though we will be this morning. I have looked at pictures, I'm almost 100% sure it was a black Panther.
Thanks for the interest
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