Report from Fran Lockhart
Sighting of Lynx-like animal by Loch Nell
22 nd July 2003
Below is a report of a sighting in Argyll. I have exchanged e-mails and
think she may have seen a lynx. One of the many houses I lived in during my stay
in Argyll is near this spot so I know it well. I have heard very sketchy
reports of lynx in Argyll before but nothing very substantial. I will give her a
phone as we have met before and get a bit
more info. May have to wait until I get back from holiday though.
Fran.
I saw the cat on 22nd July 2003.
I was driving on a single track road that runs between the A816 and A85. The sighting was at Loch Nell side, Kilmore, by Oban, Argyll and was one a half miles from the main A816 going towards Connel.
The cat had startled a sheep that it was chasing and the sheep jumped out in front of my car about 200 yards in front of me and judging by the size of the sheep, it was a little more than half it's height, fair coloured, couldn't see it's tail, but the striking things was its ears! Very pointed, large in proportion to its head and furry. It was a definite cat shape.
It moved like a cat.
I didn't hear it make any sound.
The sighting lasted for maybe no more than 20 seconds as it stopped dead as it say my car approaching and then jumped back into the gorse bushes it had chased the sheep from.
I was roughly 200 yards away and was driving slightly uphill at the time.
The weather was fair, overcast but not raining.
I did stop by the gorse but realised there was no way the cat would hang about for me to look at it!
I was alone and it was roughly 11.00 a.m.
I found you on the web whilst trying to identify what this type of cat might be - any ideas?
The thing that really amazed me was that this cat obviously was going to attack this sheep and the sheep didn't just run into the road but jumped off a banking on all four feet at a tremendous pace - it was really startled. It was the way the sheep was moving that drew my attention as we are surrounded by farmers who don't keep their sheep off the road and I'm used to them wandering about. I think it was only the fact that I was approaching that the cat backed off.
It has been muted that it could be a 'mountain cat' but I'm not sure what that is! It was certainly bigger than a wild cat as I have seen one of those before.
I would love to hear if you could let me know any ideas you might have.
22 nd July 2003
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