The incident was among a series of recent ‘big cat’ sightings in WalesBig cat sightings in and around North Wales
A mum and daughter had a terrifying encounter with a large “black animal” that stalked them after bringing down a sheep. The sighting was among a series of recent big cat reports across Wales.
In the past five weeks, sightings have been reported in Eryri national park, Abergele and, belatedly, in Colwyn Bay (see details below). Another was at Trefil Quarry, a former limestone mine on the edge of Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons).
A woman called Nicola was walking with her daughter in the quarry on the evening of March 14. In the aftermath of the livestock attacks, she said the “muscular and powerful” animal stalked the pair back to their car.
Reporting the sighting to Puma Watch North Wales, she said: “We saw six sheep came running over the hill followed by a black animal low to the ground. It pounced on one of the sheep’s neck, taking it straight down and keeping it down. The other sheep stopped.
“This black animal then noticed us watching it, let go of the sheep and ran over to the other sheep. It ran three metres up the hill still very low to the ground. It stopped and started to watch us.
“We started to walk back to the car now it was starting to get dark but we could still see it. It stalked us all the way back to the car. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
“Half hour earlier we were walking up the hill and we heard and saw a cow mooing loudly and running. But we couldn’t see what was chasing it. That’s what stopped us from walking to the top. This black animal looked like a cat and acting like a cat, the way it moved — muscular, powerful.”
The powerful black animal was said to have pinned a sheep to the ground by its neck(Image: Nicola/Puma Watch)
Trefil Quarry lies at one of the highest points in the South Wales valleys. According to Puma Watch, its rugged terrain and abundant livestock makes it “highly suitable habitat for a large apex predator”.
The online reporting site added: “South Wales has a long history of big cat reports, most notably the alleged attack on a young boy in nearby Trellech in August 2000, and numerous livestock-related encounters across the region.”
The 2000 attack in Monmouthshire, some 24 miles away, left a 11-year-old boy with five long claw marks to his left cheek. At the time, Gwent Police warned the public to be on their guard for a black, “leopard-like” animal.
Fresh reports of apparent big cat sightings have also been lodged with Puma Watch in North Wales. All were made with good intent although some have been dismissed on social media as domestic cat sightings. Three are outlined below.
Cat ‘size of a Collie dog’ in Abergele
A dog walker reported seeing a large, dark-coloured feline in a forest area above the coastal town of Abergele. She suspected it might have been a puma.
Joanne was out with her two dogs, at 7.45pm on Wednesday, April 8. She told Puma Watch: “A large cat ran up the hill and onto the path in front of me approximately 20 metres away.
“It was approximately the size of a Collie dog. Sleek/slim feline build with a very long tail. Colour was dark greyish.
“Couldn’t see its head as ran directly downhill away from us. Ran fast with a distinctive feline gait. I wasn’t quick enough to get a photo.”
Puma Watch said it wasn’t the first big cat report from the area. “A large, black and muscular” cat was previously spotted in fields between Betws-yn-Rhos and Abergele, and a puma was photographed near Gwrych Castle.”
‘Fast-moving black animal’ on Eryri hillside
A walker has reported seeing a black animal behaving in a manner consistent with a large cat on a hillside below Foel-fras, a 944-metre peak at the northern end of the Carneddau range in Eryri.
Seen near Dulyn Bothy, at around 7.15am on Sunday, April, 12, the walker said the animal was travelling at speed. They told Puma Watch: “I was walking uphill across a field, it was very boggy and wet.
“In the distance I saw this black thing moving fast making a lot of splash/spray as it did so. It was heading somewhat away from me but not directly away – it was going downhill.
Dulyn bothy seen from Clogwyn y Maldy in the northern Caerneddau mountain range(Image: Richard Law/Wiki)
“My first thought was that the thing moves like a cat – but I doubt it was. I didn’t see any tail or any detail, just a black mass moving. But the way it moved felt cat-like, very low to the ground.”
Puma Watch said most big cat reports are from the Eryri and the Clwydian hills. The site added: “Sightings have been reported with increasing regularity in recent years, including sightings on Snowdon’s Pyg Track and near Bethesda to the west.”
Biker’s sighting, Colwyn Bay
A motorcyclist exploring the roads above Colwyn Bay was stopped in his tracks after seeing a large black animal moving at speed up a hillside.
Josh belatedly reported his sighting this month – he actually saw the animal at around 8.30pm on Sunday, June 15, 2023.
He told Puma Watch: “I know it’s three years later but I didn’t know this was a thing. I was riding my motorbike around Colwyn Bay and I took a random road that brought me through the mountains.
“When I was riding I saw this large black (thing) sprinting up the mountain sideways. I stopped the bike and it just disappeared. But I thought to myself there’s only one animal that can run like that. It was low to the ground and moving so fast.”
Puma Watch said the hills above Colwyn Bay are “prime territory for big cat activity”. The site added: “The Bryn Cadno and Colwyn Heights areas, which rise steeply above the town, have produced multiple sightings over the years.
“These have included two separate reports on the same day in May 2022, and a driver who captured video footage of a large dark shape moving up a hillside in the Colwyn Bay area in 2023.
“The mountain terrain above the town, with its remote ridgelines and wooded gullies, would provide ample cover and hunting range for a large solitary predator.”
Big cat sightings can be reported to Puma Watch North Wales here.
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