Big Cat Conversations
156 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 days ago - ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsThe People's Podcast on Big Cat encounters in Britain. In each episode Rick Minter discusses big cat sightings with different witnesses, finding out what they saw or sensed, how they felt, and how these cases fit a bigger picture.
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Episodes
BCC EP:69 Dartmoor military big cat watch, & France panthers
February 18, 2022 13:00 - 54 minutes - 37.6 MBOur first guest Rich explains his thermal camera view of a big cat during his military training on Dartmoor. Our second guests Gareth and Ray discuss a black panther sighting during their family break in France. Ray has unrivalled experience of French and British big cats – he also describes his view of a black panther from his motorhome in County Durham. Word of the week: Fusca 18 February 2022
BCC EP:68 The panther, the huskies and the wolf moon
February 02, 2022 19:00 - 1 hour - 46.8 MBJane and Ade are based at a chicken farm in Nottinghamshire – a black panther arrived on the scene in December 2021, witnessed several times so far, patrolling local fields and lanes. We hear from Jane and Ade about their encounters, the reactions of their huskies, and how Ade’s thermal camera helps survey the local fields at dawn and dusk. He explains how he has twice filmed what he believes to be the cat. Word of the week: thermography 2 February 2022
BCC EP:68 The panther, the huskies and the wolf moon
February 02, 2022 19:00 - 1 hour - 46.8 MBJane and Ade are based at a chicken farm in Nottinghamshire – a black panther arrived on the scene in December 2021, witnessed several times so far, patrolling local fields and lanes. We hear from Jane and Ade about their encounters, the reactions of their huskies, and how Ade’s thermal camera helps survey the local fields at dawn and dusk. He explains how he has twice filmed what he believes to be the cat. Word of the week: thermography 2 February 2022
BCC EP:67 Scotland, Somerset & Norfolk – 2021 investigators’ roundup
January 17, 2022 01:00 - 1 hour - 61.2 MBIn part one David McEwan briefs us on key sightings from south Scotland in 2021, in part two Frank Tunbridge offers highlights from the 2021 big cat reports he received. Both guests also reflect on Jim Corbett, the tracker, hunter and naturalist who wrote about man-eating tigers and leopards in north India in the middle of the 20th century, while Frank also discusses Kenneth Anderson’s experience of tigers and leopards in southern India in the same era. Word of the week: ghooming 17...
BCC EP:66 The goblin universe of big cat sightings
January 01, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 51.7 MBOur guests Annie Brazier and Shelly Coles discuss recent big cat encounters in Norfolk and in Ireland, as well as a shot cat from 2019 in Herefordshire. Annie and Shelly are both centrally involved in big cat sightings Facebook groups – they discuss the influence of Facebook on big cat reporting and they consider how the topic of big cats can affect people’s mental health. All photos, illustrations and videos discussed in this edition are available on the Big Cat Conversations web site: ht...
BCC EP:66 The goblin universe of big cat sightings
January 01, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 51.7 MBOur guests Annie Brazier and Shelly Coles discuss recent big cat encounters in Norfolk and in Ireland, as well as a shot cat from 2019 in Herefordshire. Annie and Shelly are both centrally involved in big cat sightings Facebook groups – they discuss the influence of Facebook on big cat reporting and they consider how the topic of big cats can affect people’s mental health. All photos, illustrations and videos discussed in this edition are available on the Big Cat Conversations web site: ht...
BCC EP:65 Suffolk marshes – a wild goose-chase
December 11, 2021 16:00 - 54 minutes - 37.7 MBFrazier watched a big black cat hunt for geese in marshland at the Suffolk coast in November 2021 – he describes the spectacle of the autumn arrival of geese on the marsh, complete with the lurking predator. Words of the week: macan kumbang 11 December 2021
BCC EP:64 Panthère noir – the French big cat mystery
November 27, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 42.3 MBIn the first of two episodes featuring big cat reports of France, Michael describes watching a black panther creeping through summer pasture at the edge of his village in the Pas de Calais in 2020. We discuss why France has panther and puma reports and whether such cats could be breeding, or are released pets finding their feet in the French landscape. Words of the week: bêteséphémères 27 November 2021
BCC EP:63 Schoolboys & the patrolling puma
November 12, 2021 22:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MBFrances explains what happened when she noticed a puma following 3 schoolboys in southern Lanarkshire, Scotland. She then cautiously asked around her village and learnt that big cat reports were nothing new. Word of the week: solipsism 12 November 2021
BCC EP:62 The Wirral’s liminal leopards
October 22, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 54 MBBlack panthers, assumed to be black leopards, have been reported in the Wirral in Cheshire for over 20 years – our 2 guests describe some of these past sightings and explain their own encounters. Ben met a black leopard in woods in the Wirral peninsula in 2021 – he explains how it changed his outlook on the nearby countryside, while Matt witnessed a similar large cat in a close-by location 18 years ago. Now, as more reports emerge from the Wirral, Ben and Matt try to understand the routes ...
BCC EP:61 The body of Bannockburn – big questions from a cat carcass
October 08, 2021 21:00 - 1 hour - 54.5 MBPaul MacDonald describes the discovery and lab testing of an apparently large cat’s carcass found near Bannockburn in 2020, and then discusses how the mapping of witness reports in south Scotland has identified key places to investigate. We then discuss the recent night-time cat footage in Larkhall, Scotland, with the houseowner Derek, asking whether it was a puma on the pathway, or a domestic cat on the fence, and how it influenced his family and neighbours. Word of the week: riparian ...
BCC EP:60 Celtic-fringe cat & the panther of the peat bog
September 24, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 49.5 MBAuthor Nick Albert wrote about sensing and then seeing a black panther near his family’s West of Ireland home in his series of books Fresh Eggs and Dog Beds – we delve into those incidents with Nick in this episode, and we also hear from Dave, who had a black panther cross the road in front of him near peat cuttings in County Kilkenny in August 2021, coincidentally on his way to collect fresh eggs! Word of the week: aclaíocht 24 September 2021
BCC EP:59 Panther chat in the pub – making sense of British big cats
September 10, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 44.8 MBThree guests chat through their big cat sightings at a Herefordshire pub – Dave D watched a panther jump a gate back in 1996, Sam saw a panther on the edge of the Brecon Beacons in 2018, and he may have snapped a grainy trail-cam photo of a lynx, while Dave Starkey updates us on his big cat novel Tonmawr and a possible sequel, following his south Wales sighting. They discuss how they strive to understand more about the animals they encountered… Words of the week: spectral sensitivity ...
BCC EP:59 Panther chat in the pub – making sense of British big cats
September 10, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 44.8 MBThree guests chat through their big cat sightings at a Herefordshire pub – Dave D watched a panther jump a gate back in 1996, Sam saw a panther on the edge of the Brecon Beacons in 2018, and he may have snapped a grainy trail-cam photo of a lynx, while Dave Starkey updates us on his big cat novel Tonmawr and a possible sequel, following his south Wales sighting. They discuss how they strive to understand more about the animals they encountered… Words of the week: spectral sensitivity ...
BCC EP:58 The dawn panther - window shopping in Stroud
August 28, 2021 14:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MBTom re-lives his close encounter with a black leopard like cat near Stroud town centre in 2015, and his sighting of a similar looking cat which stopped the traffic when he was driving up a Cotswold hill in 2016. Rick and Tom also discuss some of the notable big cat reports in Gloucestershire during 2021. Word of the week: Corinium 28 August 2021
BCC EP:58 The dawn panther - window shopping in Stroud
August 28, 2021 14:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MBTom re-lives his close encounter with a black leopard like cat near Stroud town centre in 2015, and his sighting of a similar looking cat which stopped the traffic when he was driving up a Cotswold hill in 2016. Rick and Tom also discuss some of the notable big cat reports in Gloucestershire during 2021. Word of the week: Corinium 28 August 2021
BCC EP:57 Wexford’s wandering panther – the beast at the bottom of the garden
August 13, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 44 MBOn 1st August near Wexford, Ireland, Lar filmed a large black animal wandering past his house in the neighbouring field – still raw with emotion speaking on the podcast, he explains how he quickly sensed it was a large black panther, how he feels as a father of young kids, and how the Ireland big cats Facebook group has helped him assess the whole experience. Lar also explains why he thinks this could have been a recently escaped big cat. Word of the week: beithioch 13 August 2021
BCC EP:57 Wexford’s wandering panther – the beast at the bottom of the garden
August 13, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 44 MBOn 1st August near Wexford, Ireland, Lar filmed a large black animal wandering past his house in the neighbouring field – still raw with emotion speaking on the podcast, he explains how he quickly sensed it was a large black panther, how he feels as a father of young kids, and how the Ireland big cats Facebook group has helped him assess the whole experience. Lar also explains why he thinks this could have been a recently escaped big cat. Word of the week: beithioch 13 August 2021
BCC EP:56 Panthers east & panthers west
August 01, 2021 21:00 - 1 hour - 42.2 MBMark a Suffolk taxi driver explains his close up sighting of a black panther one evening, and how he now gets reports from customers about the topic, while Jo, a town councillor from Dolgellau, recounts her two sightings of a black panther in mid-north Wales. Both guests relay other snippets on local big cats they’ve heard from friends and contacts. Word of the week: Eryri 1 August 2021
BCC EP:55 Shropshire stakeout – big cats and nature’s night world
July 17, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 59.7 MBJames guides us through the forest environment at night in deepest Shropshire, keeping watch for the eye shine, movement and vibes of a big cat… Word of the week: habitat 17 July 2021
BCC EP:55 Shropshire stakeout – big cats and nature’s night world
July 17, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 59.7 MBJames guides us through the forest environment at night in deepest Shropshire, keeping watch for the eye shine, movement and vibes of a big cat… Word of the week: habitat 17 July 2021
BCC EP:54 Awakening the Pleistocene predators - a deep history of big cats in Britain
July 03, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 42.6 MBZoologist Darren Naish explores the traits of larger cats in Britain and Europe from the Pleistocene times, and considers lessons for rewilding and the adaptations of any large cats in Britain now, whatever their origins. Twitter link for our guest Darren Naish: https://twitter.com/TetZoo On the Prowl book discussed in the episode: http://cup.columbia.edu/book/on-the-prowl/9780231184502 Word of the week: tetrapod 3 July 2021
BCC EP:53 Chance encounters - while deer stalking, dog walking & wild camping…
June 19, 2021 18:00 - 1 hour - 54.8 MBOur three guests have each witnessed big cats north of London in and around Hertfordshire and Essex – Matt encountered a black leopard on land where he is a deerstalker, while Andrew was awoken from his hammock in the night by his dog sensing a big cat, and Simon viewed a black panther when walking his dogs in Epping Forest. And Simon’s wife was a sceptic until they chanced upon something important when travelling in Scotland… Words of the week: wicked problem 19 June 2021
BCC EP:52 Black in the night – filming Kenya’s panther
June 05, 2021 11:00 - 53 minutes - 36.7 MBBritish wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas explains his techniques for filming wild animals up close, including his specially designed Beetlecam, and he re-lives the process of photographing a male black leopard in Kenya with his custom-built camera traps. We also talk about his recent black leopard book and the highlights amongst other wildlife he has captured on camera. Words of the week: shadow spots 6 June 2021
BCC EP:51 Island hideout – the fugitive panther
May 23, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 43 MBOur guest Anne ran a stud farm on Anglesey where a black panther frequented her land for over a decade - she had detailed sightings of the cat stalking, experienced close encounters at night, and had armed vigilantes on her land in search of the animal. Anne explains the main events and describes her mix of emotions when living alongside a North Wales panther. We also consider an unusual type of wild prey that any big cats on Anglesey could be taking. Words of the week: diet analysis ...
BCC EP:50 Lions, leopards and a lost tribe – South African secrets
May 08, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 76.6 MBIn our extended 50th edition, Gareth Patterson from South Africa offers highlights from his experience living with lions, tracking elusive elephants in the Knysna forest, and experiencing local leopards. Also, Gareth discusses how the Fynbos ecosystem of Knysna still keeps some deeper secrets. Audio is a little soft at times so headphones recommended. Website for our guest Gareth Patterson, containing links to his books and documentary clips on lions and elephants: www.garethpatterson.c...
BCC EP:50 Lions, leopards and a lost tribe – South African secrets
May 08, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 76.6 MBIn our extended 50th edition, Gareth Patterson from South Africa offers highlights from his experience living with lions, tracking elusive elephants in the Knysna forest, and experiencing local leopards. Also, Gareth discusses how the Fynbos ecosystem of Knysna still keeps some deeper secrets. Audio is a little soft at times so headphones recommended. Website for our guest Gareth Patterson, containing links to his books and documentary clips on lions and elephants: www.garethpatterson.c...
BCC EP:49 Cornish beasts along the creeks
April 23, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 46.1 MBAndy roams the creeks of mid Cornwall and fishes local lakes – in two of his three sightings he had close calls with a panther at night, and now he follows up reports of both black and brown big cats. Our second guest Mark was secretly hoping to snap a big cat on a trail camera in North Cornwall - we hear how he got on… Big Cat Mystery outro music by special permission from Drive. Word of the week: boilies 23 April 2021
BCC EP:49 Cornish beasts along the creeks
April 23, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 46.1 MBAndy roams the creeks of mid Cornwall and fishes local lakes – in two of his three sightings he had close calls with a panther at night, and now he follows up reports of both black and brown big cats. Our second guest Mark was secretly hoping to snap a big cat on a trail camera in North Cornwall - we hear how he got on… Big Cat Mystery outro music by special permission from Drive. Word of the week: boilies 23 April 2021
BCC EP:48 Emerald eyes from the Emerald Isle
April 09, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 47.3 MBJanet noticed the neon eyes and the shadow spots on a black leopard, highlighted in the sun, as it leapt away from her and her dogs in County Leitrim, while Donal watched a black panther lit in his headlights as he stopped in shock when driving in the Wicklow mountains. Word of the week: drumlin 9 April 2021
BCC EP:47 Kent's catnip panther
March 25, 2021 13:00 - 43 minutes - 29.8 MBWe hear from Rod who saw a big cat in 1986 during his former police work in Kent, but it wasn’t until Clare Balding’s testimony on BBC’s Ramblings in 2021 that he felt vindicated – our second guest Laura in Kent had a black panther arrive next to her in the garden at night in March 2021. She’s been advised to call 999 if it comes again… Words of the week: Iain Hunter tribute 25 March 2021
BCC EP:47 Kent's catnip panther
March 25, 2021 13:00 - 43 minutes - 29.8 MBWe hear from Rod who saw a big cat in 1986 during his former police work in Kent, but it wasn’t until Clare Balding’s testimony on BBC’s Ramblings in 2021 that he felt vindicated – our second guest Laura in Kent had a black panther arrive next to her in the garden at night in March 2021. She’s been advised to call 999 if it comes again… Words of the week: Iain Hunter tribute 25 March 2021
BCC EP:46 Hidden in the park - East Midlands mysteries
March 11, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 44.4 MBMat hid in the toilets after seeing a panther on a dawn walk in a country park near Nottingham, while Tom saw what he believes was a puma seizing a fox at dusk in a country park at Leicester – Mat and Tom explain their close encounters and both describe the response of their accompanying dog. Words of the week: Occam’s razor 11 March 2021
BCC EP:45 Beasts from the East – Suffolk’s shadow cats
February 26, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 45 MBMatt Salusbury selects some highlights from Suffolk big cat reports, then John a landowner describes his three different sightings of a puma, a black panther, and two lynxes at play. We are then joined by Chris, who also saw the two lynxes after doubting John’s account. Words of the week: Black Shuck 26 February 2021
BCC EP:45 Beasts from the East – Suffolk’s shadow cats
February 26, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 45 MBMatt Salusbury selects some highlights from Suffolk big cat reports, then John a landowner describes his three different sightings of a puma, a black panther, and two lynxes at play. We are then joined by Chris, who also saw the two lynxes after doubting John’s account. Words of the week: Black Shuck 26 February 2021
BCC EP:44 Creatures of Kintyre – the New Wild
February 12, 2021 14:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MBCameron Nicoll explains the ideas that shaped his film Rare Creatures, on the big cat sightings of the Kintyre peninsula, and local resident George describes his close encounter with a black panther, which his dog detected first and growled at. George views big cats as a new part of Kintyre’s identity – adding to its sense of wildness. Watch the film here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5Hn-kOqU3o Word of the week: mystery 12 February 2021
BCC EP:44 Creatures of Kintyre – the New Wild
February 12, 2021 14:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MBCameron Nicoll explains the ideas that shaped his film Rare Creatures, on the big cat sightings of the Kintyre peninsula, and local resident George describes his close encounter with a black panther, which his dog detected first and growled at. George views big cats as a new part of Kintyre’s identity – adding to its sense of wildness. Watch the film here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5Hn-kOqU3o Word of the week: mystery 12 February 2021
BCC EP:43 Cockney Cats – epic tales from Epping & Essex
January 29, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 45.3 MBJohn takes us through several big cat sightings around Epping Forest, an ancient forest now busy with visitors on the north edge of Greater London, and we also hear from Mike who collided with a black panther driving on the A13 near the M25 in Essex. Words of the week: wood pasture 29 January 2021
BCC EP:42 Mystery in the Green Belt – Hertfordshire’s big cats
January 15, 2021 16:00 - 54 minutes - 37.8 MBLaura describes her three black panther encounters in north Hertfordshire, each of which seemed a different cat, while Lian our second guest runs the County’s big cats Facebook group, with ongoing reports of panthers, pumas and lynx. Word of the week: exotic 15 January 2021
BCC EP:41 Edge of town safari – the predator and its prey
January 01, 2021 14:00 - 52 minutes - 36.4 MBAnn, her son and their dogs disturbed a stalking panther on their evening walk in November 2020 – it was poised for attack as they watched events unfold… Rick and Ann discuss several other reported big cat encounters across Gloucestershire in recent years. 1 January 2021 Word of the week: safari
BCC EP:41 Edge of town safari – the predator and its prey
January 01, 2021 14:00 - 52 minutes - 36.4 MBAnn, her son and their dogs disturbed a stalking panther on their evening walk in November 2020 – it was poised for attack as they watched events unfold… Rick and Ann discuss several other reported big cat encounters across Gloucestershire in recent years. 1 January 2021 Word of the week: safari
BCC EP:40 Shadowed on the tracks – after dark with the Peak panther
December 19, 2020 18:00 - 56 minutes - 38.5 MBOne night in the Derbyshire Peak District, Billy our guest had some unexpected company as he did his rail-line inspection. Billy also explains why big cats might find railway lines convenient for food supply and for travel routes. Word of the week: ABCs 19 December 2020
BCC EP:39 Meet the neighbour – cat from the quarry
December 05, 2020 00:00 - 48 minutes - 33.2 MBAnnie re-lives several close encounters with a panther in Somerset in a nearby quarry in 1993 – a reminder that big cats were experienced many years past, and close to where similar reports happen now. Annie now lives in southern Ireland and briefly considers big cat reports across the republic and Northern Ireland. Word of the week: chatoyant 5 December 2020
BCC EP:39 Meet the neighbour – cat from the quarry
December 05, 2020 00:00 - 48 minutes - 33.2 MBAnnie re-lives several close encounters with a panther in Somerset in a nearby quarry in 1993 – a reminder that big cats were experienced many years past, and close to where similar reports happen now. Annie now lives in southern Ireland and briefly considers big cat reports across the republic and Northern Ireland. Word of the week: chatoyant 5 December 2020
BCC EP:38 Prowling panthers & pumas – Summer sightings 2020
November 21, 2020 17:00 - 1 hour - 43.5 MBTim was amazed to see a black panther in fields neighbouring his house in Berkshire in 2020 – he’d previously seen one on Salisbury Plain in 2004, while our second guest Maria watched a tan coloured puma carrying a rabbit in its mouth in Gloucestershire, then sensed it lurking in the dark and spooking her dogs, in July 2020. Both guests explain setting up trail cameras in the hope of filming the cats they encountered. Words of the week: green bridges 21 November 2020
BCC EP:37 Eurasian lynx in Britain - back to the future
November 07, 2020 19:00 - 1 hour - 41.7 MBDavid Hetherington, author of The Lynx and Us, re-lives the moment he was watched by a lynx in Switzerland and explains how the vivid wildlife and lynx photographs for his book were captured by Laurent Geslin. He considers when the lynx died out in the past in Britain and discusses how lynx reintroduction projects have been carried out in parts of Europe. 7 November 2020 Word of the week: lucerve
BCC EP:37 Eurasian lynx in Britain - back to the future
November 07, 2020 19:00 - 1 hour - 41.7 MBDavid Hetherington, author of The Lynx and Us, re-lives the moment he was watched by a lynx in Switzerland and explains how the vivid wildlife and lynx photographs for his book were captured by Laurent Geslin. He considers when the lynx died out in the past in Britain and discusses how lynx reintroduction projects have been carried out in parts of Europe. 7 November 2020 Word of the week: lucerve
BCC EP:36 Lynx in Britain – a hidden recovery?
October 30, 2020 19:00 - 54 minutes - 37.8 MBMaria in Cornwall saw a lynx leap away in her woodland, while Rob in Gloucestershire drove past a lynx walking along a roadside ditch - both our guests explain how these encounters changed their view of the British countryside. 30 October 2020 Word of the week: stochastic
BCC EP:36 Lynx in Britain – a hidden recovery?
October 30, 2020 19:00 - 54 minutes - 37.8 MBMaria in Cornwall saw a lynx leap away in her woodland, while Rob in Gloucestershire drove past a lynx walking along a roadside ditch - both our guests explain how these encounters changed their view of the British countryside. 30 October 2020 Word of the week: stochastic
BCC EP:35 Beasts of the moors and tors
October 17, 2020 19:00 - 59 minutes - 40.8 MBMatt Jones explains the challenge of filming large cats in Devon and Cornwall with trail cameras – one of his photos is discussed in the coming documentary Britain’s Big Cat Mystery, and we also hear of his sighting of a panther-like cat in October 2020. 17 October 2020 Word of the week: pardus