Big cats in Norfolk

The act of trying to photograph the Norfolk landscape put me into close proximity with the wildlife of the county. Although my photographic interest is the landscape, it is hard not to notice and appreciate the creatures that I come across. My particular style of photography usually involves deserted stretches of countryside at a time when the light is favourable and the area is devoid of other people. The mechanics of landscape photography mean that I tend not to make a lot of noise and flap about a lot, in fact my work is downright slow and quiet. Just right if you want to see wildlife.
The various species of deer that frequent the area have become such a familiar sight that it is very easy for us to take them for granted. In some areas the sheer number of deer have turned them into a problem for land owners. Satisfying the food requirements of so many large mammals is inevitably going to lead to conflict with people. The one thing that we must remember though, is that we are responsible for the extermination of all the predators that in the past have controlled the number of deer. The last wild British wolf was killed in 1650Added to this the British countryside has become home to some foreign invaders, we have imported several species of deer from other continents, such as the Chinese water deer. At the moment there are discussions about releasing predators back into the countryside to restructure the ecosystem and to put it back into balance.

However there are people out there that believe that there are already large predators out there. When the dangerous animal laws changed back in the nineteen seventies some have claimed that the owners of big cats released them into the wild rather than break the law or see their animals end up in zoos. Over recent years there have been many sightings of mysterious big cats, form all over the country. In the eastern region have had more than our share, with north east Norfolk, the area that I shoot many of my images having a proliferation of sightings. I'm no expert but if there were a large predator roaming the Norfolk countryside it would make sense, the landscape is still pretty rural , dotted with woodland and filled with….. You guessed it, deer! Even the most sceptical person would agree that it is not beyond the realms of possibility for us to be sharing our local patch with a small population of big cats. However the problem is how to prove it. Countrywide, over the years various photos and video footage of mystery animals have surfaced but I have not seen one as yet that looks convincing. It wasn't too long ago that we had reports of claw marks appearing on the trees at Bacton wood, then a photograph of said claw marks appeared in the local press. definitive proof, maybe not!
There are even websites devoted to the subject so we can map the extent of our feline friends shadowy existence . The area from Norwich to the north coast seem to have more than its fair share of sightings. But like so many things in life, whether you believe it comes down to the credibility of the people claiming to have seen the cats, after all there are a small minority of our country folk who claim they have been abducted by aliens, like we have not created enough things to worry about we now have alien visitors to contend with. While out taking photographs I have certainly seen all manner of wildlife but not so much of a sniff of a big cat and lets face it I frequent the sort of countryside that they would have to hunt in, perhaps I should have a look through my back catalogue to see if there is anything lurking in the background of my images? I'll let you know if I find anything.
So there we have it, a possible food source, claims of sightings and claw marks. What do you think? Fact or fiction? It seems to me that we all need something out there to believe in, big cats on the loose are in fact a reasonably plausible possibility and many of us hanker for a wilder existence away from the uptight, health and safety led lives we lead. some find it in travelling to watch whales, bears and wolves in remote parts where mankind's influence isn't so marked. Others find it by participating in extreme sports, it would seem we like the idea of something dangerous out there. So if there really are big cats on our doorstep should we take some steps to protect ourselves? I don’t consider that I am in any peril but if I am taking a photograph and look down to discover a big cat gnawing on my leg I reserve the right to change my mind. I personally think the greatest threat to your wellbeing while you are out in the Norfolk countryside is in fact a myopic driver at the controls of a ton and a half of car. My images images are of parts of our countryside that I would imagine could sustain a small population of puma, I would be grateful if you could take a good look at them just in case there is something sinister lurking in the undergrowth.