Living With Leopards: My UK Encounters (Intro by Rick Minter)

Thanks to everyone who watched this. I'm not a natural presenter and actually found it very difficult to get a straight sentence out, as it's quite emotional for me. Not just the events here, but personal/family memories from around then.
I apologise for the squeaky floorboards, but it was either then and there or maybe never, as I really don't like talking to camera on a good day, but I just felt "right I could just blast it out now" (after 2 days of trying) as I made a brew and it all just poured out. The phone/camera was sat on a shelf in my kitchen cupboard :)
I swear everything I said is true and I was not mistaken. I do not lie, not even to myself.
I did this mainly because I want it on the record and I know Rick (Minter) has wanted me to for years. I'm grateful to him as he's one of the first people to ever believe me and help me search and after the DNA evidence came out a few weeks ago, I thought yeah the time is right.
metro.co.uk/2023/05/11/dna-ev...
I know a few other people who've seen them and had other experiences with them and Clare Balding saw one, while doing a live radio broadcast not far from where I live. Ray Mears has seen wild lynx in the UK but I've not seen those yet.
Please don't be scared, because as you heard, I don't see them as dangerous to humans, when they have so much food about. They eat deer, rabbits, pheasants, foxes, badgers, squirrels etc but I wouldn't try and stroke one, go near cubs or corner one and if I saw one and I had a dog or a kid, I'd pick them up. Look up the advice in countries that officially have them.
I walk and camp out, but I keep my eyes open. I'm far more worried about boar or other humans, than Leopards.
Video FYI's:
1 - The mineshaft was one that was filled in and sunk, forming a huge crater.
2 - Before anyone says we were evil kids hitting cows, it wasn't baseball bats, it was twigs to make them move without getting trampled and they were never harmed in any way. I love animals as you can see from my channel.
3 - The cats I've seen are all bigger than a labrador, around german shephard size but longer body, jet black and sort of shiny and huge tails the length of them almost.
4 - I have other evidence, but it's not solid. A footprint with a smaller (cub?) next to it, a slip mark with claws out, a half blurred trailcam image of what actually looks like a Jaguarundi more than anything else.
5 - My hair is wet, not greasy haha
In upcoming videos I'll take you on my search and maybe you'll learn some useful things along the way about tracking, trailcams, bushcraft, other animals and plants, first aid, how to find some peace in an increasingly mad world...
I've seen a few people starting to get into trailcams on yt and I'm sure I can help them a lot. Even the ones that have laughingly stated there's no big cats here! I hope they see one, it's life changing.
Thanks again and please subscribe and tell your friends, it will help more people than just me. I gave myself a very tight deadline for this video and thought keep it simple, but my coming videos will be much higher production quality.
Thanks you for reading and watching :)
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Rick Minter's podcast can be found here:
bigcatconversations.com/
Also see his youtube channel:
/ @bigcatconversations57
If you do comment, here or there, please keep it civil. Thanks.
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Music: Me
Poem: Me
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All footage, music and poem are © Do not use any without my permission. Any enquiries can be sent to the FB page. Thanks.
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PS - The poem I wrote, I wish I hadn't called it Dancing Shadows as by pure coincidence a song about them of the same name already exists and I didn't know. I never copy people and hate looking like I have.

[@prometheus_beard]

Hi all, thank you so much for your interest since this was published. My intention was to raise awareness, get my own story on the record and encourage other witnesses to come forward, then do a few videos of how I go about looking for them and hopefully get evidence eventually, but seeing how many people instantly made videos about big cat searching (Some even used sentences from my video! "That is not a dog!" for one...) it put me off doing that, as I don't want to be lumped in with people obviously thinking it's a bit of a laugh and not real or even in it for money. (I am not lumping everyone in that, just a few) I just want people to acknowledge them, not be called a liar for talking about what I saw, ideally get apologies from those who have called me a liar over it and also increase public awareness and knowledge of what to do if you walk into one and feel threatened (They seem to want to vanish and not go towards humans but...), don't scream, don't run, no high pitched noises, try and look big and back away, don't turn your back on them but don't trip over as you back away, if you have a dog or kids with you pick them up, make noise as deep as you can. In the US and Canada they say if it's a mountain lion to shout PUMA so other's around you know there's one there. I have never heard of a credible case of a human being attacked by one in the UK. Some have claimed it but I have solid doubts. Others say they were stalked and I have twice been stalked by something that I didn't see, but the instinctive feeling of danger was there and though I was unharmed, 2 cameras failed to record the second incident which I just find extremely odd. As far as I know cats can't stop cameras working. I even asked a lion expert in Africa if infrasound can impact electronics at all. Not to his knowledge and he photographs elephants and lions all the time, both producing infrasound. There's a lot stranger things going on in this life than cats in the woods, believe you me. Thanks again. I hope people watch my other wildlife videos too. I have some really nice stuff coming up! Take care all, Ed

[@radicalcartoons2766]

This popped up in my KZbin feed, very glad it did! I've been following Rick's Big Cat conversations podcast and have had a couple of experiences myself. Thank you!

[@prometheus_beard]

That's great, glad you like it! Yeah BCC is a great listen and for people who have seen them, it helps you feel less alone in it all. Rick is a great host. If your experiences were in the UK, drop him an email at the bcc website, I'm sure he'd be interested 👍 [e-mail]

[@TheDanno34]

1999 i was walking to work through a large field near Sevenoaks Kent just after dawn. To my left about 400 yards away walking parallel slightly in front and downwind of me was a full size black leopard. I had a good ten seconds to examine it. I have perfect vision. I shit my pants but was in awe. Turned up at work like i’d seen a ghost. Didn’t report it anywhere but wasn’t mocked when telling my tale as there had been reported sightings before and since. This was near the M25, it has a corridor of land either side that no one goes on. I saw 👀 believe the same animal sunning itself on the hill on the other side of the motorway a couple of weeks later in a fleeting moment. Have been a believer ever since.

[@prometheus_beard]

Thanks for sharing. Very similar sighting to a lot of others. Their behaviour seems pretty consistent across the country.

[@prometheus_beard]

@TheDanno34 Rick said would you be interested in being a guest on an upcoming episode of big cat conversations podcast? If so, go to the website and email him there. You can also see a lot of info and over 100 episodes of others encounters. Cheers 👍 Email is at the top: bigcatconversations.com/

[@jonbellard-lg5gq]

He’s not messing about I’ve seen two one point blank 300 yards away plain as day. People who don’t believe in big cats in the uk probably don’t go out at night they are very wide spread now 100 %

[@prometheus_beard]

Thanks for commenting! Personally I think they're breeding and there's loads of them nationally. There's just too many sightings for them to all be escapees and releases.

[@jonbellard-lg5gq]

I spend a lot of time night fishing rivers and lakes I’ve seen more than one most recent within ten miles of Liverpool I have a video I got a clear look at it the most noticeable thing was the size was a beast. They are turning up in the most unlikely spots a sign territory is become scarce people who don’t believe in uk big cats are delusional and don’t go out out late at night in the right places

[@kevintwine2315]

Thanks for the video, such a fascinating subject

[@prometheus_beard]

You're welcome. Glad you think so. It really is when you dig into it. It's just one of those things, unless people see one, normalcy bias usually leads them to dismiss it. I actually think there's more to it than people think, but that's for another day 👍

[@jonbellard-lg5gq]

Shropshire river Severn Lake Windermere Rainford Same thing every time black leopard

[@prometheus_beard]

The one I saw in Shropshire was in a field, lying down with it's head up, facing uphill, just sunbathing and on the other side of the hedge from it like 10m away, was a flock of sheep who had no idea it was there. Flying past on a train, there was no point trying to get a video, so I opened google maps to see exactly where it was and went back at a later date to the closest station and walked miles there. Very steep and muddy, with flooded areas. Found nothing then, but it's ideal territory certainly.

[@MarsOatom-oy8ze]

Yes, theres big, huge jet black puma type beasts out there, twice spotted by Birmingham Airport/ Solihull.

[@prometheus_beard]

Thanks for the comment! If there's a place with food, water, cover, they could be there. Airports are ideal. They might even use the noise of planes as sound cover, to take prey in a more direct way, rather than pure stealth. They're certainly intelligent enough to do that.

[@edwardtreadwell3859]

The eastern side of Birmingham was good for big cat sightings, but much of it has been trashed by HS2. Certainly the deer in the area had to move. Some were found wandering in built up areas in the east of Birmingham.

[@user-mf3sk5sr5t]

Genuine young fella ! In my opinion 💯 , sure I have seen the European Lynx in my home town fylde coast Lancashire, just saying 👍

[@prometheus_beard]

Thanks for that! Interesting. I see no reason they couldn't find their way around the entire coastline, plenty of food with seabirds and animals washing up, cover, and not many people mostly and often not far from caves and woodland or dunes and long marram grass. There are even suspicion's and I don't see why not, that the larger black cats take seals! It would be easy pickings for them.

[@colinhamer6506]

Did the European lynx 100% fit what you saw I'm asking this as I'm from the NW and I've seen 2 big cats one ✅all the boxes except one body feature to be a European lynx it's enough to say it couldn't be one of those and I'm wondering if you or anyone else knows what I mean without saying it

[@GeorgieWing]

Saw a black panther in cv33 . Its tale was upright and seemed as long as its body, if not longer. My friend also saw one in same area and filmed it.

[@prometheus_beard]

Thanks for sharing. Is your friends footage public? I know a lot isn't, for various reasons.

[@jasondeschool5919]

Had a sighting this time last year in west wales 6:30 in the morning it bound across the back road about 100 metres ahead in one leap incredible not my only experience also had one in 2010 whilst out hunting rabbits it was in the same field as us about 50 metres ahead on the hedge line face down eating our kill which was by a marker flag it’s length was clear to see it was longer than the distance between 2 fence posts it tail long thick and majestic green eyes heard of cows huddled in corner of field it stared at us and went back to eating so we just left could have taken the kill shot as it was just there eating our rabbit for about 4-5 mins stationary but it was to majestic

[@prometheus_beard]

Thanks for sharing! Rick Minter said if you're interested in maybe being a guest on his podcast, you can contact him here: [e-mail] bigcatconversations.com/

[@magistic345]

Thanks for not killing it

[@prometheus_beard]

@@magistic345 Agreed mate! I'm also glad you chose not to @jasondeschool5919 as I love them. They're incredible animals and make the world a lot more interesting knowing they're out there.

[@mathewcurwood3770]

Where in West Wales was this buddy

[@georgetterobin7122]

Appreciate your decision not to kill such a magnificent animal! I live in the Northern California Mountains and have seen many wild creatures, including the Mountain Lion (Puma). I proceed with caution and never fear attacks.

[@Scott.V.Grube1]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@prometheus_beard]

Awesome, thanks! 👍

[@vikingsuperpowers]

That was awesome Ed! all the way over here in Australia I've heard about your black leopards Panthers and I see no reason why they're not real. Somebody once told me that there was kangaroos somewhere there too that got away from a collection a hundred years ago. actually now I'm thinking about it I'm pretty sure the stories about leopards here. We have the Yowie's here, which is pretty much like the American Bigfoot, and no I haven't seen one, but I met a very sober publican, a football coach and certainly no trippy hippy, and he told me that he was driving some mates home from a party and he was what we call the skipper, he wasn't drinking. On this dirt bush road, a great big hair covered creature about 7 foot tall, ran down from the bush and stopped in his headlights, and he got a real good look at it. He swore to me that it was no man and that it was cross ya heart fair dinkum. I can tell your fair dinkum too mate, I totally believe you.

[@prometheus_beard]

Thanks a lot viking, very interesting story there. There's a lot going on in this world that unless people see it themselves, they struggle with it. Which is fair enough to a point, but when thousands see things, people should listen.

[@vikingsuperpowers]

@@prometheus_beard it's the way of the world mate. I've been telling people my freaky stories since I was a kid and they usually don't tell me I'm nuts, but they often say 'no way José, there's no such thing as the supernatural the paranorma, God, whatever you wanna call it'. Funny thing is when they experience it themselves they completely change and in that testimony video of mine I tell story of three different guys who told me it was all bullshit and then something happened and they knew it was real and it really freaked them out

[@prometheus_beard]

I'm listening to your videos today mate. I compare it to being the only person who sees in colour and if everyone else saw the world in black and white, they'd agree you're mad or lying... until one day they open their eyes and see blue sky.

[@vikingsuperpowers]

@@prometheus_beard 😀I like it mate! Wow, thanks for watching the vids. In one of them I tell my friend Lisa Smartt that being in the beyond death realm is utter bliss and colour and radiance and coming back here feels like returning to a shabby grey disfunctional family house. The NDE is like theres this hidden door in the house that opens one day and it´s just indescribable.

[@jonbellard-lg5gq]

People thought I was going mad now all my friends and family 100% know since I got that vid in a field they all know well

[@prometheus_beard]

I'm glad for you. Can I see the video at all please? A lot of people don't share them, so it's fine if not. I get it.

[@GaryMcKinnonUFO]

Scary stuff Ed ! I'm thinking maybe it was a female and she had cubs, the tail up is usually a sign of being comfortable. Didn't know there were wild boars in the uk !

[@prometheus_beard]

Yes it was at the time mate! I agree it was relaxed just smelling the metaphorical roses and unaware of us, we surprised it by talking and running away, so it did a mock-charge and escaped. Wild boar all over Herefordshire mate, around forest of dean mostly. Some get pretty big! I am actually more wary of walking up on a group of those with babies than being harmed by a cat. I was a few feet from boar in a bush and I just started talking to them and kept walking past "Ok piggies, don't mind me" haha I could smell them and hear them breathing. Whatever took one without a peep, must be so strong.

[@BhikaDeshmukh-fz5vh]

😊😊😊😅😅😅😮😮😢😢🎉🎉🎉😂❤

[@jamesbromfield7090]

I live in bodmin ive seen 2 big cats a black leopard in 1997 with 3 others down dummere and also seen a brown puma in 2009 on path next to train track at kurlend in bodmin on way home from football training it seen me about 200 yards away went really low to floor seen his big sholuders and white face it turned and jump straight over the fence straight on to train track i walked back other way. Few days later a group of school pupils with teachers reported seein cat around the corner from were i seen it at dragon leisure centre then it was seen near the lanhydrock golf club all around 2 mile radius

[@prometheus_beard]

Thanks for sharing! I think they use railways to move about a lot of the time. If you listen to Ricks Podcast, he's had a rail worker on there. Really very interesting. He was doing a line inspection at night alone and encountered them... Here it is, episode 40: bigcatconversations.com/episodes/page/7/

[@sarojkisan7143]

😅 0:18 😢

[@prometheus_beard]

@@sarojkisan7143 The wasp?

[@jonbellard-lg5gq]

It’s would be difficult for me to bro I don’t think you mental your just tuned in to what’s about that’s all .

[@prometheus_beard]

Thanks. I didn't find it easy making this, but working on the follow-up now, which I'll be in again. Stage fright in front of potentially 8 billion people is on another level, but it's faded after the mostly positive feedback, which I am very grateful for. I think people are more willing to look at things these days, that were previously seen as rubbish.

[@ScottJackson.]

How many have encountered the beast of Smallthorne?

[@prometheus_beard]

I've no idea sorry. Jump on a Smallthorne FB page and ask them maybe? That Smallthorne image and documentary, are nothing to do with me or why I made this video. I haven't even watched it. Rick wanted me to go on the record for years and after the recent DNA evidence, I thought yeah why not. Hope this helps. Thanks for the interest anyway!

[@gazzaboy2531977]

So how come no one has ever found a carcass. I do believe 99% though

[@prometheus_beard]

Good question. I've heard credible people tell me they know of bodies being found on roads etc and taken away asap, but my main thought on it is cats in general when they feel like they're dying, they hide themselves away to avoid predators while they're weak, then they die in the hiding place where nobody finds them. If you or anyone else has more questions, I'll answer if I can, thanks 👍

[@SteveyC335]

No ones ever found a Leopard or Puma carcass in their native countries. There's about 3 million deer in the country, you'll never stumble across a deer carcass walking through the woods either.

[@prometheus_beard]

@@SteveyC335 Thanks for the comment! While it is very rare in the nations known to have them about, people do rarely find the bodies or bones. Often though they were taken down by poachers or farmers traps. The remains of any animal in foliage are very hard to find. Deer carcasses in the UK are found sometimes, but again very rarely and usually by early morning dog walkers or farmers. Nature cleans up very quickly, with even bones being carried off by foxes, badgers and crows and how many people would know the difference between a leopard femur and a sheep shin? Not many. Big cats in the UK do leave filletted or hollowed out deer (and other animals like badgers) and people do sometimes find these, though again it is rare. If you look on Ricks Big Cat Conversations website, on the refs page, there's some images and info there regarding all this.

[@prometheus_beard]

If you scroll down near the bottom of the page, for episode 47 (Warning it is not for the squeemish) a classic UK deer kill by a cat. Sheared off ribs etc bigcatconversations.com/refs-links/

[@S.Trades]

How long does a carcass take to decompose? A week, max. And I'd expect a carcass to rarely (if ever) be found. Cats are incredibly secretive, living and hunting, by stealth.