"Cumbria"

Page last revised:
20th September 2004

To aid you in your search for new reports, we've added a quick select menu below.

DATE:	ANIMAL:	LOCATION:
8th August 2003	WOLF?	Saddleworth Way
1st November 2003	WOLVES	Eaglesfield
15th February 2004	COATI	Kendal
12th March 2004	COATI	Haverthwaite
7th April 2004	SQUIRRELS	General
10th September 2004	UNIDENTIFIED MARINE CREATURE	Whitehaven
16th September 2004	DOG	Ireby

 

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SQUIRRELS
A rare type of red squirrel only found in Cumbria may be facing extinction. Scientists discovered that Cumbrian Reds are genetically different from other red squirrels, but are in danger of dying out because of the threat from grey squirrels.

Not only are red squirrels in competition from grey squirrels for food, but the greys can also pass on a deadly pox virus. Grey squirrels, which come from America, are a threat to red squirrels all over the Britain.

Biologist Dr Peter Lurz suggested that special breeding and conservation programmes could be set up to protect the Cumbrian Reds, and that a cull of greys should be considered.

7th April 2004
(Source: BBC News)

Written by: Lisa Melvin

File:
Ref No: 1188

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Haverthwaite
COATI
COATIS IN SOUTH LAKELAND
Sightings of a coati, a member of the racoon family, have been reported in South Lakeland in Cumbria for the past year. Finally, the coati was captured in a hen pen in Haverthwaite, where it had attacked a couple of hens and killed another. However it is now believed that the coati was not alone and that others may still be living in the area.

The distance between sightings has lead to the belief that the sightings have not all been of the same coati. One sighting occurred in Finsthwaite and then, just a few weeks later, there was a sighting some distance away in Kentmere. It has been said that this would have been quite a trek, especially considering that the animal would have had to circumvent approximately 11 miles of water.

The captured coati is now living with 27 other coatis in Dalton at the South Lakes Wild Animal Park. It is said to be in good condition, aged about 2 years old. The sex of the beast has not yet been determined.

Coatis are omnivorous. They enjoy fruit and insects primarily, but they will also eat eggs, lizards and small mammals. They have long claws which are used for digging and a long bushy tail, which aids in climbing. Males tend to be solitary animals, but females are very social. A coati can live up to 14 years in captivity, but only average around 7 years in the wild.

12th March 2004
(Source: Westmorland Gazette)

Written by: Steve Jones
Contributed by: Lisa Willow

File: 2004-127
Ref No: 1097

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Ireby
DOG
Dog kills Sheep
By: Elizabeth Taylor
Cumbrian farmer William Gill who farms at Newlands in Ireby near Wigton found nine of his prize sheep dead with their throats ripped out by a cross bred lurcher and pit-bull terrier. The animal was put down.

Kendal
COATI
I received an email from a lady who said she had seen a Coati in the Lake District, this was at approx at 10am on Sunday 15th February she described it as a wonderful sight just in front of their car on National Trust property, Sizburg Castle near Kendal, Cumbria.

She said At first we were gob smacked because we knew it was not a British animal, we watched it fob a good while, and could only come up with a wild cat ,because that was the most obvious, even though we knew it was not ! as I said we got a wonderful sighting 10 yards or so in front of on the road in the grounds of the castle , it walked away and then climbed a dry stone wall and went out of sight. we reported it to the Lake District National Park, and they knew exactly what we had seen which pleased us no end and he told me about this web site, and I am even more pleased to be able to share our sighting with you.

15th February 2004

Contributed by: Patricia Sutherland

Comments:
If anyone else has information about this or any other sighting then we'd love to hear from them, It's nice to know that Beastwatch UK is know over in Cumbria, and thanks to that person whoever you are for recommending our site :o)

I'm not in the least bit suprised to what's out there nowadays, there's been numerous reports of Raccoons etc, one was filmed quite sucsessfully in a garden at Bushby in Leicestershire, I've seen the video "excellent piece of footage" there's no disputing what it was "A Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)" "there it was just sitting there eating nuts which had been put out for the local wildlife."

File: 2004-115
Ref No: 1172

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The Lakes
WOLF?
One of our members whist out with the dogs on Saddleworth Way was out doing one of their Big Cat searches along the Pennine's, describes his encounter below.

We were up towards the lakes, although i'm not sure exactly where, unfortunately, though i don't think i'd have a problem finding it on a map, but it was fairly remote (I like to seek out the most out of the way places i can find) when the dogs suddenly stiffened and stopped dead, which is unusual for them to be unsure of themselves. I had two of my dogs with me, Kane, (who I'm training in the ways of cat hunting with me at the mo.) who's a 1 year old Bullmastiff and Missy, my 3 year old Rottie bitch.

We were in a valley,when among an outcrop of rocks about 30 yards ahead i saw what at first i took to be a large Alsation. now Kane being young and fairly inexperienced (I'm not prepared to expose him to any form of danger at this age), was told to drop and hold position, which he did. I then sent Missy to investigate, this may sound a strange thing to do, but Kanes a big lad already and I had no wish to provoke any challenge instincts with what I believed to be a stray farm dog (though we'd not passed any farms for a few miles) and Missy being a bitch, i reasoned she'd be quite safe.plus, she's on 'heat at the moment, another reason i believed she'd be ok, along with the fact she's a proper little powerhouse and as tough as they come. the thing is as I studied this 'dog', i became more and more unsure about what I was looking at. he was huge (bigger and heavier set than any german shepherd I've come across, even though I've been around this breed much of my life and bred both Rotties and Shepherds), it was almost entirely black, with a spikey coat (not what you'd describe as long haired) he viewed the three of us with mild curiosity and indifference, and let Missy approach to within about 10-12 feet before turning and loping off at a steady pace until Missy increased her pace at which point he just took off and left her for dust. now this in itself bothered me immensely at the time as Missy is one of the fittest and fastest dogs I have ever owned and any dog which is clearly bigger and heavier than her (as he most definitely was) would have no chance of out pacing her, especially with the ease which he demonstrated. (and surely he would have picked up from her scent that she was on heat and shown more interest? had he been merely a dog) at this point (as when I had first sent her forward to check him out, for friendliness, and scrutinized him through bino's) the word 'Wolf' was jumping in to my mind, which I incredulously tried to dismiss, but felt it time to call her back nonetheless. As she abandoned the chase I lost sight of him among some rocks, whether he went to ground or not i can't be sure, but I didn't catch sight of him again. We camped where we were that night but neither saw nor heard anything thereafter. I've been around dogs all my life and have been fascinated by Wolves since an early age, reading everything I could get my hands on about them and I am extremely confident I would know the difference between dog and wolf and although as I've said, I'm not willing to commit myself at the moment to saying it was definitely a wolf that we saw, the animals behavior, size, gait, looks, were all too wolf-like for me to be able to dismiss the possibility altogether, yet the more I think about the encounter, the more I'm convinced that it was. it was very strange, leaving an odd (for us) atmosphere in camp that night.

8th August 2003

Contributed by: Sam Annandale

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Eaglesfield
WOLVES
WOLVES SPOTTED IN A VILLAGER’S GARDEN
By: Stephen Meredith
Wild wolves, which have been extinct in Britain since the 17th century, could be loose north of Carlisle. Police have received a report that two wolves were spotted in a garden and wolf-like howling has also been heard nearby.

Irene Carruthers was walking near her home when she claims two large grey wolves crossed her path. She said: "I was near to my house when two big dog-like animals came out of the garden next to mine. They were grey and white and had long legs. They were nothing like domestic dogs and they were absolutely stinking."

" Recently, I saw a TV programme about wolves and they looked just like them. I reported it to the police because I was worried about farm animals in the area."

Mrs Carruthers spotted the wolf-like creatures in Eaglesfield, which is between Gretna and Lockerbie, on 1st November. A Dumfries and Galloway police spokeswoman said "We can confirm we have received a report of an animal similar in appearance to a wolf."

And added that it was extremely difficult to verify sightings. She said: they had received no other reports of wolves being spotted, and stressed that people should not be alarmed.

Wolves became extinct in Britain in the 17th century, but there have been discussions about the re-introduction of the beasts into the Scottish Highlands.

File: 2003-90
Ref No: 911

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Melmerby
RACCOON
Jan Edwards said that she saw an animal resembling a raccoon at approximately 8pm on 20th September at the side of the road, turning over leavess hunting for food..

21st September 2004

Contributed by: Jan Edwards
Written by: Paul Williams

File: 2004-233
Ref No: 1721

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Whitehaven
UNIDENTIFIED MARINE CREATURE
A creature described as “a mini Loch Ness Monster” which was washed up on the beach at Parton, Whitehaven has baffled local residents.

Joan Singleton, of Firth View, found the creature and alerted friends, saying she had never seen anything like it. Another local resident said “It seems to have a seal’s body, the head of a whale, fins on top and sides, but also claws and really sharp teeth”.

(Source: Whitehaven News 10th September 2004)

Contributed & Written by: Lisa Willow

File: 2004-220
Ref No: 1637

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Thank you

Chris Mullins

Co-ordinator
BEASTWATCH UK
info@beastwatch.co.uk