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NeilMac
Joined: 28 Jun 2006 Posts: 981 Location: UK Midlands
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Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:54 am Post subject: Racoons head for Leicestershire |
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5353882.stm
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Wild and exotic animals are becoming an increasingly common sight roaming free across the UK, a new report says.
The **** UK survey recorded 5,931 apparent sightings of big cats, 332 of wild boars and 3,389 of sharks since 2000 - with figures expected to rise.
The 10,000 sightings include a penguin, three pandas and 51 wallabies, while a chinchilla was found in a post box.
Climate change, zoo thefts and escaped animals are thought to have contributed to the rise.
Once on the loose, it seems the south west of England is popular among big cats, with Devon, Cornwall and Somerset among the top 10 counties for sightings.
In Kent and East Sussex, more than 100 wild boars were spotted, and in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire wallabies were apparently spotted on 30 occasions.
Racoons seem to head for Leicestershire and Oban in Scotland is home to several monkeys, the survey says.
However, it is not just the sightings that have been startling observers, but their behaviour too.
Last year, a deer was seen swimming a mile and a half across a busy shipping lane in Hampshire, apparently looking for a new home.
And earlier this month, a family of squirrels cut the power in 10,380 homes in Exeter after shorting a power cable.
Chris Mullins, founder of **** UK, said: "It is clear that the UK contains far more exotic wild animals than the British public could ever imagine."
He said since the organisation started in 2000, the number of reports had increased at a rapid rate, ranging from monkeys being stolen from zoos to the more unusual such as a piranha in the River Thames.
The British Big Cat Society also reported an increase in big cat sightings in recent years, with 2004/5 figures 3.5% up on the previous year.
ANIMAL SIGHTINGS
5,931 big cats
3,389 sharks
332 wild boars
51 wallabies
43 snakes
13 dangerous spiders
13 racoons
10 crocodiles
7 wolves
4 eagles
3 pandas
2 scorpions
1 penguin |
No wonder the BBC struggles with rural issues. I blame climate change for the appearance of the pandas mind!
Beast wishes!
Neil Mac' |
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BobHarget

Joined: 01 Jul 2006 Posts: 30 Location: East Midlands
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Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:39 am Post subject: |
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Do you think I can get a variation for shooting Racoons?  _________________ Bob
The Pen - What is mightier that the sword; and considerably easier to write with (Marty Feldman) |
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Mick F Certified Gun Nut

Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 1650 Location: S X
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Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 10:57 am Post subject: |
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Wonder how these sightings compare with alien landings and the loch ness monster?
Cheers
Mick Fidgeon:-) _________________ "He's more nervous than a very small nun on a penguin shoot."DCI Gene Hunt |
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Oddbod

Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 310
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Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 1:48 pm Post subject: |
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I can state without fear of contradiction that there have been no sightings of sharks in the Lake District.
Can't have them damaging the Tourism Industry, can we?  |
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franchi

Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 84 Location: North Manchester
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Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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There is a reasonable large pack of wallabies living wild on Saddleworth Moor on Lancs/Yorks border
Cant see it attracting many visitors though
Can you get a variation for a rubber barrel in .308?
russ |
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NeilMac
Joined: 28 Jun 2006 Posts: 981 Location: UK Midlands
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Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 2:49 pm Post subject: |
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Clearly there are non-indigenous species in the UK but it was the reporting that stunned me:
Quote: | "Wild and exotic animals are becoming an increasingly common sight roaming free across the UK, a new report says.
The **** UK survey recorded 5,931 apparent sightings of big cats, 332 of wild boars and 3,389 of sharks since 2000 - with figures expected to rise." |
It's not a proper survey by any stretch of the imagination its one bloke's website. It could only be a surprise to the most moronic metrosexual that wild animals are roaming free across the UK.
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" a chinchilla was found in a post box." | Hardly roaming free!
Quote: | Once on the loose, it seems the south west of England is popular among big cats, |
I can just imagine them planning their holidays...
Quote: | In Kent and East Sussex, more than 100 wild boars were spotted, |
Can anyone remind me what the plural of boar is?
Quote: | Racoons seem to head for Leicestershire and Oban in Scotland is home to several monkeys, the survey says. | Hmm, Racoons with roadmaps trying to find Leicestershire.
Quote: | However, it is not just the sightings that have been startling observers, but their behaviour too.
Last year, a deer was seen swimming a mile and a half across a busy shipping lane in Hampshire, apparently looking for a new home. |
A shipping lane in Hampshire? "looking for a new home?"
Quote: | And earlier this month, a family of squirrels cut the power in 10,380 homes in Exeter after shorting a power cable. |
Shocking perhaps but "Exotic Wild animals"?
Quote: | Chris Mullins, founder of **** UK, said: "It is clear that the UK contains far more exotic wild animals than the British public could ever imagine." |
A glance at the website gives a good idea of where this bloke is coming from - links to Loch Ness monster sites, ghost hunting, animal rights etc. It's one of the worst bits of journalism I've seen lately.
Best wishes,
Neil Mac' |
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Mick F Certified Gun Nut

Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 1650 Location: S X
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Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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NeilMac wrote: | Quote: | However, it is not just the sightings that have been startling observers, but their behaviour too.
Last year, a deer was seen swimming a mile and a half across a busy shipping lane in Hampshire, apparently looking for a new home. |
A shipping lane in Hampshire? "looking for a new home?"
Best wishes,
Neil Mac' |
If you knew Southampton fairly well, you'd realise that there's a large forest near the estuary which is inhabited by deer. I'm not sure if it's part of the New Forest. I assume something made it want to swim to the other bank. It's a fairly busy shipping lane with everything from car ferry's to ocean going liners.
Cheers
Mick Fidgeon:-) _________________ "He's more nervous than a very small nun on a penguin shoot."DCI Gene Hunt |
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NeilMac
Joined: 28 Jun 2006 Posts: 981 Location: UK Midlands
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Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | If you knew Southampton fairly well, you'd realise that there's a large forest near the estuary which is inhabited by deer. I'm not sure if it's part of the New Forest. I assume something made it want to swim to the other bank. It's a fairly busy shipping lane with everything from car ferry's to ocean going liners.
Cheers
Mick Fidgeon:-) |
Ok, let's put that one aside. What do you think of the rest of it?
Best wishes,
Neil Mac@ |
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Mick F Certified Gun Nut

Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 1650 Location: S X
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Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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NeilMac wrote: | Quote: | If you knew Southampton fairly well, you'd realise that there's a large forest near the estuary which is inhabited by deer. I'm not sure if it's part of the New Forest. I assume something made it want to swim to the other bank. It's a fairly busy shipping lane with everything from car ferry's to ocean going liners.
Cheers
Mick Fidgeon:-) |
Ok, let's put that one aside. What do you think of the rest of it?
Best wishes,
Neil Mac@ |
I think I answered that above. There's a website somewhere that quotes how many'big cats' have been sighted compared to the amount of alien landings, UFO spottings etc. As you say, his website goes onto the bit about ghosts and the Loch Ness monster.
Cheers
Mick Fidgeon:-) _________________ "He's more nervous than a very small nun on a penguin shoot."DCI Gene Hunt |
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