# Lion on the loose !!!!



## Koala Kate (26 August 2012)

Just on the news . Didn't catch where it was . Any info ?


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## Posie (26 August 2012)

In Essex near Clacton apparently..


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## tiggs (26 August 2012)

Just posted in soapbox, it is in Essex
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-19388301


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## nikicb (26 August 2012)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-19388301


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## TrasaM (26 August 2012)

Another stuffed toy?


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## Shantara (26 August 2012)

TrasaM said:



			Another stuffed toy?
		
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That's just what I said!

I hope it's not, they'd probably only shoot the poor thing.


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## Koala Kate (26 August 2012)

No Zoo has reported a lion missing so must have escaped from a private Zoo.


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## Koala Kate (26 August 2012)

Any news ?


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## Hairy Old Cob (27 August 2012)

TrasaM said:



			Another stuffed toy?
		
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An Dread of all Dreads 25 Armed Police


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## hairycob (27 August 2012)

Although we are a long way from Essex I'm keeping quiet about this around the horses - don't want them getting any silly ideas about what might be in the hedges.


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## Suelin (27 August 2012)

HEEERE KITTY KITTY!!!!!!!!


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## Dobiegirl (27 August 2012)

A few years ago several lions were spotted off the A38 by the Shipham turn off in Somerset. People stopping for petrol all  unconnected saw them in a field. The police searched but they had vanished and they have never been sighted again.


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## MadBlackLab (27 August 2012)

I herd on local news this morning that an eye witness herd a roar and he just knew it was a lion. HOW!?!?


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## MadBlackLab (27 August 2012)

first pictures of the lion

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4506955/First-picture-of-lion-on-loose-in-Essex.html


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## JanetGeorge (27 August 2012)

HandleyCross said:



			first pictures of the lion

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4506955/First-picture-of-lion-on-loose-in-Essex.html

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IF that is the lion (and I doubt it!) then why would they still be calling it a "suspected lion".  That pic IS a lion - and to get a picture at that angle with that detail you'd either have needed to be 100 yards in front of it - facing it - and with a reasonable zoom, or have a £10,000 pro camera.

Let's face it, if you were that close to a lion - looking at you like you were dinner - would YOU be taking it's pic??


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## MadBlackLab (27 August 2012)

JanetGeorge said:



			IF that is the lion (and I doubt it!) then why would they still be calling it a "suspected lion".  That pic IS a lion - and to get a picture at that angle with that detail you'd either have needed to be 100 yards in front of it - facing it - and with a reasonable zoom, or have a £10,000 pro camera.

Let's face it, if you were that close to a lion - looking at you like you were dinner - would YOU be taking it's pic??
		
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I fully agree plus someting that big cant just dissapear


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## Spook (27 August 2012)

Oh why the fuss?, when there is talk of re-introducing wolves to the Scottish Highlands. Won't next winter kill the lion off, surely it would not eat sheep would it?


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## PucciNPoni (27 August 2012)

Apparently there is no other sound in the world like a lion's roar, so perhaps the person who heard it and "knew" had been on safari at some point?  Or maybe to a zoo?

And hopefully it's found, as I think the preferred meal for a lion is zebra - but failing that, I'm sure horse would do just fine.


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## LittleBlackMule (27 August 2012)

Usually when a 'big cat' is seen on the loose, it turns out to be somebody's Labrador...
I have no doubt this is the same, or possibly even a Golden Retriever!


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## partypremier (27 August 2012)

Zoos over here feed pony meat to their big cats.
The guy with the travelling circus is selling off animals, the zebra was for sale in H&H.
Maybe he just let the lion free.


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## Orangehorse (27 August 2012)

If you have been to a safari park you might have heard a lion roar.  If you are in a car and they walk past they are VERY scarey, you certainly do not want to get anywhere near.

There could well be wild big cats.  After all, there are 100s of thousands of foxes and badgers in the wild,  how often do people see those walking around in daylight - not that often (even though I saw a fox in the dusk last night).

I have a relative in the USA where there are wild deer and wild bears. These wild animals have huge areas, they don't live in one district.  She sees the deer about evey 3 months, and the bears once a year, so I can quite see how a large wild animal could remain in hiding, if they had enough to eat of course.

Not much hope of the Police finding it with a helicopter though.  We will just have to wait and see whether it turns out to be a lion or a labrador dog, or a stuffed one!


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## FabioandFreddy (27 August 2012)

I've heard a lion roar when we were next to its zoo enclosure - it literally goes right through you! Its so powerful! I wouldn't have believed it was unless i'd heard/felt it myself! 

They reckon there's about 12 witnesses from a camp sight that have seen it. Although people are quick to jump on the bandwagon once they get wind of something aren't they! The police must think there's something in it though or they wouldn't waste all that man power trying to find it?


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## Dizzydancer (27 August 2012)

Not necessarily. They can't really take the risk if they think its a hoax then someone got attacked they would be stuffed.


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## LittleWildOne (27 August 2012)

The search has been called off.
A summary from The Sun 
After having the area searched extensively by police, keepers from Colchester zoo, and a police helicopter with heat seeking equipment, NO evidence was found to suggest that a lion or other big cat had been in the area of the reported sighting.
"Experts" believe the sighting was either a large domestic cat or a wildcat.


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## PucciNPoni (27 August 2012)

http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-e...f-essex-lion-being-hunted-by-police-1-2491180

the photo on there looks legit enough ?


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## LittleWildOne (27 August 2012)

PucciNPoni said:



http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-e...f-essex-lion-being-hunted-by-police-1-2491180

the photo on there looks legit enough ?
		
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I totally agree.
No evidence of lion (or any other big cat) droppings or pawprints have been found in the area surrounding the reported sighting though.


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## Hairy Old Cob (27 August 2012)

Her Kitty Kitty I hear the search is being called off they think it was large domestic cat or a Wild Cat WTF its not the Scottish Highlands.

To Be Classed a big Cat, it Has to be able to ROAR, when you have heard a big roar their is no mistaking it and it carries for Miles their used to be a Lion at Guilsborough Wild life park who could be heard for miles and the same around Twycross Zoo and the Monkeys at feeding time can also be heard for miles.

If their is a lion on the loose it will soon be come apparent when stock starts to killed and disapear.

 So if you need to get rid of any neddies paint them White with Black stripes


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## Dobiegirl (27 August 2012)

Why did they not take photos or a video before calling the police, I know I would, everyone has mobile phones these days its just strange.

I loved the lion jokes form the Scottish newspaper


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## LittleWildOne (27 August 2012)

A couple of years ago, there was a reported sighting of a "big cat", a black panther to be exact, in the Inverness area.
It was in fact, my Aunt's dog !
She had been walking him in the area of the reported sighting at the time the person had "seen a big cat". Hamish had been off lead..and yes...he is big and black.....a Flat Coat Retriever cross. 
My Aunt saw the report in the paper the following morning, and after picking herself up from the floor after rolling around in hysterics, she rang the paper to tell them it was her dog who had been seen lolloping across a field and not a "black panther" at all.
She even sent us the article.


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## EAST KENT (28 August 2012)

We do actually have black leopards around here,and genuinely I have seen one three times now,and many friends too..but a LION is a tad bigger ,maybe it will re-emerge once the heat dies down.


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## TrasaM (28 August 2012)

They must have REALLy big domestic cats in Essex then!


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## Double_choc_lab (28 August 2012)

TrasaM said:



			They must have REALLy big domestic cats in Essex then!
		
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It's the white stilettos and fake tan that does it


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## EAST KENT (28 August 2012)

Double_choc_lab said:



			It's the white stilettos and fake tan that does it

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And the stuff from Takeaway Alley...the A127 that is!


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## TrasaM (28 August 2012)

Double_choc_lab said:



			It's the white stilettos and fake tan that does it

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Ah..that's it then. Lions are tan colour! Easy mistake. I woke up this morning and got the fright of my life as I though there was a puma lying on my chest then realised that I'd left reading glasses on and it was just black puss


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