Before I would be convinced I would like a question answered. Is it a digital photo, as it could have been manipulated in PHOTOSHOP. I must say the tail looks to thick and short for a panther, and long grass was blocking out the lower part of the wall unable to determine the height of it. Also its a blured shot. Before I finish let me say I am a beliver that big cats are about but have not yet seen a convincing photo.
tony.

tony, cleckheaton, west yorkshire

The dimensions of the tail would suggest that the creature is nothing more than a fox. Very dark coloured foxes are not that rare.

S.G.Brown, Selsey,

Saw a very similar big cat earlier this year not far from the Great Hucklow area Watched it for approx half hour and was only 100mtrs away ,so got a very good view. Definitley a panther type cat and totally black.Plenty of old mines and caves in the area so very possible that one could be here.

Paul Lax, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Does the metre long include the tail? If so, there are occasional domestic cats this large. I have a Maine Coon (the largest breed of domestic cat, who measures almost this long, and the largest known specimen is well above it. However Maine Coons are long haired, so this isn't one of those.

alexandria, Sheffield, UK

Dear Sir, As a professional zoologist and zoo director I do hope that I may be allowed to comment on the picture of the "big cat" taken in Derbyshire. Clearly calculating sizes on pictures like this is prone to error. I normally allow plus or minus 10%, and sometimes 20% depending on the picture quality. This would put the animals size dynamics within the range of a large domestic cat. The build and head shape of the animal with the high walk posture that the picture gives does make it look much more like a domestic cat than a leopard. The legs and stance are very unleopard-like. The suggested concept of the animal being a hybrid of some sort is also very unlikely. Most hybrid animals are produced in captivity, and rarely are they black. Yours Faithfully,

Chris Moiser Managing Director Tropiquaria, Watchet, Somerset TA23 0QB, England