The Beast of Exmoor
When a farmer lost dozens of sheep in 1983, the government sent Royal Marines to look for a big cat on the moors.
What was reported
People on Exmoor have reported seeing a large black or tawny cat, much bigger than a pet cat, since the 1970s. In 1983 a farmer near South Molton said he'd lost around 100 sheep in a few months and suspected a big cat.
The Ministry of Agriculture sent Royal Marines marksmen to watch the area. They reported glimpses of a large dark animal but never got a clear sight of it, and the search was called off.
Explanations offered
Some think a puma or leopard was released into the wild after the Dangerous Wild Animals Act of 1976 made keeping them harder. Others put the losses down to dogs, and the sightings to large pet cats, dogs or foxes seen at a distance. No big cat has been caught on Exmoor.
- When
- Reported from the 1970s
- Where
- Exmoor, Somerset and Devon, England
- Witnesses
- Farmers, walkers and drivers
- Status
- Unconfirmed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.