BCC EP:92 The Outcasts - Beauty in the hidden beasts

03/06/23 • 70 min

Alex our guest has had several big cat encounters in South West England, one of which involved a black panther creeping up behind him. He reflects on these experiences in this episode. Rick and Alex also discuss the challenge of raising awareness of large predators while minimising the fear factor.

We also hear about Alex’s most recent sightings in south Devon, and discuss the interesting results on his trail cameras.

Word of the week: cryptic

6 March 2023

We also hear about Alex’s most recent sightings in south Devon, and discuss the interesting results on his trail cameras.

Word of the week: cryptic

6 March 2023

Previous Episode

BCC EP:91 Scotland’s big cats – from theory to reality

A panther and cubs next to a fishing tent, gamekeepers’ attitudes to big cats, a large cat carcass by the A9, admissions of lynx releases, and recent dashcam footage from West Highlands – we hear of these and other snippets as Paul MacDonald updates us on recent big cat highlights from Scotland.

We also hear some modern folklore, as The Black Beast of Bin, a poem from 1994, written following big cat sightings in the Huntly area of Aberdeenshire at the time, is sung specially for the podcast by Scottish folk singer Shona Donaldson.

Words of the week: Origin stories

12 February 2023

Next Episode

BCC EP:93 From Oxford to Exmoor - panthers in the pastures

Steve our guest has spent half a lifetime investigating big cat reports in southern England – he takes us through key events in Oxfordshire in recent years, including the search for a puma body, the secrets of the Charlbury panther, and a big cat caught in a cage trap which then went missing.

We learn about his time volunteering at a big cat sanctuary in Colorado, and hear how he links with his local police contacts. His own sightings include watching a black panther emerge with a friend, who just minutes earlier had mocked Steve’s interest in the topic.

Word of the week: misidentification

25 March 2023