Crypto zoology – BackBone Of Night

The UK is not usually a place noted for it’s exotic animals, not that the wildlife we do have isn’t interesting and impressive of course.
The UK was the home to Beaver, Bear, Wolf, Lynx and Wild Boar. The last wolves in the UK had disappeared by the 18th century whilst others like the bear, centuries before.

Beavers are now being introduced and there is talk of reintroducing wolves and perhaps lynx.

Escaped wild boar are now living in the Forest of Dean and other places in the UK.

https://www.forestryengland.uk/article/wild-boar-the-forest-dean

Some of the more unusual non native animals are either escapees or deliberate introductions.
At one time in the Broads a colony of Coypu had made there home, although they were eliminated some years ago.

https://www.edp24.co.uk/lifestyle/when-the-coypu-was-public-enemy-no-1-in-norfolk-708552

Wallabies have been seen over the years with small colonies coming and going.

https://theconversation.com/wallabies-are-on-the-loose-in-britain-and-weve-mapped-95-sightings-148374#:~:text=Red%2Dnecked%20wallabies%20have%20been,survive%20in%20the%20British%20countryside.

Although the Aesculapian Snake is not a native of the UK there are few sites where it is found in the UK.

https://www.froglife.org/info-advice/amphibians-and-reptiles/aesculapian-snake/

Then there are the Ring Necked Parakeets. They became established in the wild from the 1970s and were confined to London. Their range is now extending though.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/policy-insight/species/invasive-non-native-species/ring-necked-parakeets/#:~:text=The%20ring%2Dnecked%2C%20or%20rose,birds%20escaped%20or%20were%20released.

One of the more unusual animal colonies are the Sheerness Scorpions.

http://www.jasonsteelwildlifephotography.yolasite.com/uk-scorpions.php

Many reports in the news of unusual animals are usually of escaped pets or animals imported by accident such as spiders found in fruit.

Big Cat sightings seem to be a borderline case with Crptozoology and folklore. Some are no doubt other animals misidentified. Others may be escaped pets. There are reports that have a more supernatural and odd feel to them.
There are few theories concerning Big Cats.

1)Misidentified dogs, deer etc.

2)Escaped pets.

3)Escaped pets from zoos/private collections that survived and are breeding in the wild and may have dine for decades.

4)A native breed of big cat that has survived since the last Ice Age.

5)Ghosts or other supernatural entities associated with folklore such as Black Dog legends.

6)Aliens.

I’ve never seen a Big Cat, I do know a few people who have. I also grew up not far from Bluebell Hill in Kent which has had it fair share of Big Cat sightings.

My own out of place animal sighting, if you can call it that, is of false black widow spiders. I’ve seen plenty of those over the years.

Here is a selection of news stories from around the UK.