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Experts feared a wild cat was stalking the Gloucestershire countryside
DNA tests on two mutilated deer reveal killer is just a wily fox
By Graham Smith
Last updated at 8:21 AM on 2nd February 2012
A mysterious blood-thirsty wild cat feared to have devoured at least six animals in the Gloucestershire countryside was today revealed to be a mere fox.
DNA tests on two mutilated deer confirmed the killer's true identity.
Last month, three wallabies were found on farmland stripped to the bone, with their internal organs neatly placed beside their bodies.
Examinations revealed all the animals had suffered puncture wounds to the neck, consistent with a vicious attack by a panther-like creature.
It was then claimed that the animals were killed by the 'Wildcat of Woodchester', named after the national park where its first prey was found.
But eagerly awaited DNA results, taken from the body of two of the deer, showed no big cat saliva and pointed to a wily fox as the real culprit.
Dr Robin Allaby, associate professor at the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick, which analysed the results, said: 'We did not detect cat DNA on either deer carcass.
'Other than deer, by far the strongest genetic signal we found on the Woodchester Park carcass was from a fox.
'That fox DNA was found on the ribs, legs and plucking sites from the Woodchester deer carcass.
'On the second deer carcass we found canid DNA. A more detailed analysis is underway to pin down the canid species but our expectation is that that will also be fox DNA.'
Its snout was also missing, a significant piece of information because big cats clamp their jaws over the mouth, causing death by suffocation.
Experts had believed the deer had been brought down and devoured by a large and powerful predator such as a puma, jaguar or leopard.
Tufts of the animal's fur were also found piled by the body - and such predators neatly pluck the hair from the body before shearing their teeth into the flesh.
Another deer carcass was found by a dog walker between Whiteway and Redcomb, near Cirencester - ten miles away - on January 10.
A third roe deer body was found at a development in Cooper's Edge, near Gloucester, days later.
Three wallabies, part of a private collection, were also found dead by their devastated owner on January 6, two days after his first kill at Woodchester Park.
If you have any news on this item please let us know by leaving a comment or email bcib@btopenworld.com Please report any sightings at http://www.bigcatsinbritain.org/localreportform.htm If you wish to comment on any of the items please click the header of the story.
Experts feared a wild cat was stalking the Gloucestershire countryside
DNA tests on two mutilated deer reveal killer is just a wily fox
By Graham Smith
Last updated at 8:21 AM on 2nd February 2012
A mysterious blood-thirsty wild cat feared to have devoured at least six animals in the Gloucestershire countryside was today revealed to be a mere fox.
DNA tests on two mutilated deer confirmed the killer's true identity.
Last month, three wallabies were found on farmland stripped to the bone, with their internal organs neatly placed beside their bodies.
Mutilated: One of three wallabies found devoured on farmland in the Cotswolds last month. What was thought to be a blood-thirsty wild cat roaming the Gloucestershire countryside was today revealed to be a mere fox
That find came soon after the discovery of the bodies of three deer in countryside near Stroud.Examinations revealed all the animals had suffered puncture wounds to the neck, consistent with a vicious attack by a panther-like creature.
It was then claimed that the animals were killed by the 'Wildcat of Woodchester', named after the national park where its first prey was found.
But eagerly awaited DNA results, taken from the body of two of the deer, showed no big cat saliva and pointed to a wily fox as the real culprit.
Dr Robin Allaby, associate professor at the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick, which analysed the results, said: 'We did not detect cat DNA on either deer carcass.
'Other than deer, by far the strongest genetic signal we found on the Woodchester Park carcass was from a fox.
'That fox DNA was found on the ribs, legs and plucking sites from the Woodchester deer carcass.
'On the second deer carcass we found canid DNA. A more detailed analysis is underway to pin down the canid species but our expectation is that that will also be fox DNA.'
Red herring: This image of a large black animal in a field in north-west Wiltshire was thought to be the 'beast' stalking the Cotswolds
Real culprit: DNA tests on two mutilated deer confirmed the killer to be a fox (file picture)
Big cat experts led the call for an investigation into suspicious activity after a roe deer was found dead in Woodchester Park on January 4. It had been torn open and was missing its heart, kidneys and liver.Its snout was also missing, a significant piece of information because big cats clamp their jaws over the mouth, causing death by suffocation.
Experts had believed the deer had been brought down and devoured by a large and powerful predator such as a puma, jaguar or leopard.
Tufts of the animal's fur were also found piled by the body - and such predators neatly pluck the hair from the body before shearing their teeth into the flesh.
Another deer carcass was found by a dog walker between Whiteway and Redcomb, near Cirencester - ten miles away - on January 10.
A third roe deer body was found at a development in Cooper's Edge, near Gloucester, days later.
Three wallabies, part of a private collection, were also found dead by their devastated owner on January 6, two days after his first kill at Woodchester Park.
Examination: A man completes a DNA test on the carcass of one of the deer killed last month
Tests: This roe deer was killed less than 12 miles from where three wallabies were devoured
The Gloucestershire farmer, located 12 miles from the first attack, did not want to divulge his name or location.
But he did release gory pictures of one of the dead wallabies. The carcasses had been ripped open in a similar way to the three roe deers the beast is believed to have slayed.
Dr Robin Allaby took 45 samples from the wounds of two of the deer carcasses with the aim of testing specifically for DNA from the saliva.
His team searched for more than 30 different types of big cat DNA in their sample.
But their results will disappoint experts - who still insist that the beasts are stalking the British countryside.
Rick Minter, a Gloucestershire big cat expert who believed the 'Wildcat Of Woodchester' was on the prowl, said: 'There has been speculation of breeding amongst feral big cats in the UK.
'We are no closer to indicating that with these results, but lessons have been learnt from Warwick University's valuable input to this exercise.
'We should not be complacent about possible big cats in the UK, but considering these animals living secretly in our landscape can fire people's imaginations and help us consider all of the wild nature around us.
'Our outdoors can still hold surprises.
But he did release gory pictures of one of the dead wallabies. The carcasses had been ripped open in a similar way to the three roe deers the beast is believed to have slayed.
Dr Robin Allaby took 45 samples from the wounds of two of the deer carcasses with the aim of testing specifically for DNA from the saliva.
His team searched for more than 30 different types of big cat DNA in their sample.
But their results will disappoint experts - who still insist that the beasts are stalking the British countryside.
Rick Minter, a Gloucestershire big cat expert who believed the 'Wildcat Of Woodchester' was on the prowl, said: 'There has been speculation of breeding amongst feral big cats in the UK.
'We are no closer to indicating that with these results, but lessons have been learnt from Warwick University's valuable input to this exercise.
'We should not be complacent about possible big cats in the UK, but considering these animals living secretly in our landscape can fire people's imaginations and help us consider all of the wild nature around us.
'Our outdoors can still hold surprises.
If you have any news on this item please let us know by leaving a comment or email bcib@btopenworld.com Please report any sightings at http://www.bigcatsinbritain.org/localreportform.htm If you wish to comment on any of the items please click the header of the story.
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