Museum displays big cat footprint
Warwickshire Museum is delighted to be able to display a cast of the footprint of a big cat taken in Barford in November 2004. This was recently donated to Warwickshire Museum by the tenant farmer of Wasperton Farm
A gamekeeper at the farm had a spine-chilling encounter with what he thought was a big black panther that had just caught a pheasant. Big cat reports are regular occurrences in Warwickshire, but this time the creature left a footprint in wet mud.
Warwickshire Police took a cast of the print and sent it to experts who confirmed that it was made by a big cat, probably a black leopard.
Steven Falk, Senior Keeper of Natural History, said
“We are pleased to receive this donation of the big cat print. Although reports of sightings of big cats are not unusual in the county this evidence is fascinating proof that something did exist.”
The print can be viewed at Warwickshire Museum in Market Place on Tuesdays to Saturdays between 10am and 5pm.