Two NEW Publications: A Genuine British "Big Cat"-The Irish Wild Cat: Fact or Fiction?

 

 

A4

12pp

Colour/b&w

£12

https://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper/the-case-for-a-genuine-british-big-cat/paperback/product-yvq8k8n.html?page=1&pageSize=4

 

Terry Hooper-Scharf was the eotic wildlife consultant for UK police forces from 1977-2018 and when reports of “big cat” kills or evidence were received he evaluated the evidence.

In a high number of cases where a “puma” was reported the animals’ size did not match up even if facial markings were noted.

Other reports of panthers (black leopards) and black pumas  were also problematical and not explained as “baby big cats”. His interest in these reports resulted in police wildlife officers calling them “Hooper Cats”.

Video evidence was then received from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the police and  local wildlife enthusiasts. Everything matched up to some “black big cat” reports and once the basic information was gathered a good general description was of a black cat, leggy and the size of a whippet dog.

 There is no doubt that these were large cats but far from escapee exotics from private collections.

This paper presents the facts behind the Hooper Cats and what could well be called a genuine British ‘big’ cat.

 

A4

15pp

Colour/b&w

£12

 

https://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper/irish-wild-cat-fact-or-fiction/paperback/product-kv4wjyq.html?page=1&pageSize=4

 

Ever since the 18th century many noted naturalists and zoologists have argued for and against the existence of a wild cat species is Ireland (Northern Ireland and Eire). At times the debate in publications became quite heated  to the point of name-calling.

Starting in the late 1970s Terry Hooper-Scharf looked at the archival mentions of such animals in both Irish myth and legend as well as observations by naturalists and reports they collected.

Based on the historical record there was no doubt that an Irish wild cat was no myth but it did not appear to be related to the English, Welsh or Scottish wild cats (distinguished from the accepted European wild cat hybrids of today).  There is no doubt that the latter cats were observed in Ireland up until the 1970s and as with others around the UK were likely imported for hunting.

The big clue lay in an Irish museum as noted in 2021 and in 2026 it is confirmed that remains of a wild cat have been found in an Irish cave dating back 5,500 years and so confirming the Author’s own research.

2026 Wild Summit. It will NOT Change The World

 

I need to apologise to Bristol Fox Lady/Bristol Wildlife Rescue Sarah Millsfor dragging her to the so called Wild Summit. I printed out a small fortune (in ink) flyers and info packs to hand out.

Avon Wildlife Trust ("We work through Bristol City Council") were not interested in the fox and badger data. In fact, no one was interested in mammals whether otters, badgers, foxes (plenty of fox photos used though) or even hedgehogs. Bees, butterflies, wild flowers, water purity and conservation nd that was it.

Fella from the Badger Trust talking about setting up a Bristol Badger Group (8 times right next to me) so I jumped in every time and pointed out that I have run BBG since 1994/1995 but he kept it up and told me to my face he had heard of my fox work but not badger work. How good is the Badger Trust when they have had emails etc off me for 30 years and been told repeatedly over the last year there was a BBG? Kept trying to talk over me every time I was amking points based on years of research and work. Nope. Well not be cooperating wityh him or BT.

So making the countryside wild friendly but no one interested in wildlife crossings/tunnels.

Basically it was badly organised and had I paid £240 for a ticket there would have been trouble.

Oh West England .Wildlife Index was not that good. Their data was a mess they noted bird decline (mentioned 8 times as frightening) no idea about mammal decline or fish decline and then they told us how their data was basically not worth much as it needed another 5 years. I think Sarah probably heard my loud grunt as the woman in charge stated "We get data from naturalists but take it with a grain of salt" Talk about insulting the dying breed of people who go out getting the real data and muddied boots. I stopped myself from standing and walking out. I did feel sorry for one of the volunteers who stepped up to exp-lain the work she had been doing but got four heckles of "stand closer to the microphone" and she was nervous enough.

The RSPCA Senior scientific advisor stodd up and I just waited for her to say the great job the RSPCA does for wildlife but in the few minutes she spoke all I learnt was her field of work was tigers. Yes, foxes and badgers and British wildlife are silly so concentrate on ovrseas wildlife (which I am told the RSPCA is doing?!)

The ex copper who said we need better organisation, etc and some forces had no wildlife crime officer well...back into the early 2000s there were plenty of good PWLOs and senior officers were involved. Now we have a situations wth four wildlife crimes in the Bristol area (including a snared otter) and a fox torn up by a dog under the command of its owner and....nothing. We had three foxes found in one day on an allotment and the Wildlife officer visited the site and made notes and was offered the foxes to take (THAT should be standard) but he would not even go and look at the foxes and his notes ("intelligence") was it. THREE suspicious death foxes and the copper would not even look at them. Interestingly a PCSO did a better job and bagged up two foxes and a cat in a suspicious death case and submitted them for post mortems. Obviously the part time policeman had a better grasp of the job than the full time professional.

At times with 'quizzes", stickers, big sheets of paper and colour pens I felt I was back at Glenfrome Road nursery school.

Radio talks the event up well but there was NOTHING to the event just "We need to jolly well show the government by sending in a petition".

I do not likke rudeness or bad manners but that was also very evident at the event.

Basically an online petition appears to have been what was needed for most talks. That a great deal of the information was old -I have sources saying the same f thing from the 1980s and that was built on from 1970s work,

Field or any type of naturalist did not seem to be present. After a remark that anything from a naturalist was taken "with a pinch of salt" that was lucky.

I left thinking that I had lost two hours or so of my rapidly decling life anjd that working by myself seems the best way to go.

I was lucky that Sarah Mills was present as even she commented "Nothing on mammals? Not even hedgehogs!"

Maybe I should have had a table there to push mammals?

"Sentinel markers for ecosystem contamination"

 

 In the past fox post mortems have revealed plastic packaging in the stomachs of foxes which resulted in their deaths. We have been noting things that could point to a problem in the ecosystem and I was just informed of the latest PM result:

"Severe chronic renal histopathology confirmed but I’m uncertain of the case. Possibly the pathology might suggest and infarct but again any cause of this is uncertain. Summary: Severe chronic renal pathology of uncertain cause. "

In case you are wondering what the mplications are: Chronic exposure to environmental pollutants is associated with renal damage, potentially affecting longevity and health of wild fox populations. This is a sentinel marker for ecosystem contamination and really should not be ignored but, as I have said over the last five decades, no one is interested "just foxes".

It's sad that back in July I noted 182 foxes had been reported dead. The current figure two months later is 230

Fox Facial Injuries Are NOT Auto Put Down Cases

 The old rule under certain "rescue" was a fox with a facial injury HAD to be put down. Most vets would agree.

However, things in Bristol have changed. Likely an injury from a car swipe on the nearby busy road the fox was treated for around 9 weeks given pain relief and anti biotics. All treated in situ by Sarah Mills.

With a falling fox population at least this one now has a good chance.

above during treatment

Above after treatment

Publishers Do NOT Want Facts

 

I was asked why I stopped trying to find a more traditional publisher to handle the prose books since they would have all the extra marketing skills etc to sell titles?  

It isn't so much that I stopped looking it is the fact that publishers are simply not interested and have moved away from reading and publishing and gone more for publishing by committee -with members and their own prejudices and biases. 

This is what I got from one publisher regarding The Red Papers last year:

"Dear Terry,

"Thank you very much for your message and for sharing the background to your extensive work in wildlife study and conservation, as well as the details of your two publications.

"We appreciate your dedication and the long-term fieldwork and research that support these titles. To help us better understand the scope and potential fit of your work with our editorial line, we would kindly ask you to complete the attached proposal form. This document will allow us to gather key information about the content, intended audience, and objectives of the books. It also outlines how to send further material should the proposal move forward.

"Once we have the completed form and any additional documentation you wish to share, our editorial board will carefully review the proposal. If we feel there may be a possible fit, we will be in touch to discuss next steps.

Thank you again for considering Lynx Nature Books. "

Now, considering that the company had as best a synopsis as I could give of the work which covers decxades of study, research and field work as well as gathering very rare images how else can you make  the work of interest to a publisher?

Controversial and against dogma -fully referenced from official publications and works that back up the statements and not "Well I heard" as seems more common these days. We now KNOW what the original British Isles wild cat looked like as well as the fact that we know when Scottish zoologists declared (in 1897) that the Highland wild cat had become extinct. It can now be proven  (not that it ever needed to be) that there were indeed three variations in Old British foxes.

Original: since 1900 dogma set it that meant that generrations have been misled by people who like to call themselves experts but who preach dogma. It has taken decades of archive research as well as investigation to not just prove what is stated in the books as facts but even more to get physical evidence in the form of taxidermy specimens to prove the case.

The Red Paper: Canids (2010) was called by the late Sir David Bellamy "explosive for British natural history" -and that version of the book was "sparse" com,pared to the 2022 version.

Perhaps publishers want to save themselves embarrassment from decades of inaccurate books they have published?

And, no, I never heard back from Lynx Nature Books.  I did hear from another publisher that my manuscript had gone through the first committee to be looked at, then that the second committee had approved "the book being listed" to be looked at. A year on and nothing. 

Three years ago I was informed by one publisher that with modern societal changes they needed to look at books and consider gendere diversity and ethnic diversity and what my book could contribuite to that. I was writing about researchy on wild canids and felids and just what the hell anything else had to do with that I have no idea.

Unfortunately, I am not included in the long list of virtue signalling tick boxes.

The Red Papers were accepted three times by a publishing editor only, a month or so later, the same editor telling me that "At the moment the book does not fit into our upcoming schedule".  I later learnt that one publisher was very unhappy with one of the editors as they had been publishing the modern, false British natural history for decades.

I have a big collection of books on or referring to foxes in the UK. Each and every one of the authors has just done what we would call today "copied and pasted" from others. An incorrect fact published in 1950 is copied (almost verbatim) throughout the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and ad infinitum.  Lying about factual history is never good.

Then we come to the "World mystery" books. Heavily researched and referenced with some -truthfully- very rare or thought lost photographs and images (we know they are lost images because author after auther states this...they just never went to the source material). The photographic image of the City of Brtistol that appeared in the sky over Alaska. Gone forever.. well, no. I found it. 

Many "mystery creatures" (cryptids) took years to dig down to the actual facts in the sources to sometimes surprisingly identify and only through archive research did I find a newspaper report of what might have been the first gorilla from Africa in the early 1800s.

The truth may well not be "sexy" or "hip" but for each animal identified or each mystery looked at and solved there are those that are not. You follow the facts and the reference sources to the truth -or the mystery.

Sadly, unless you scream "cover up" or push sensationalist  but provable false claims publishers are not interested. Back in the 1980s -yes, the 1980s- one publisher "loved" my manuscript but, in writing, asked whether I could not just add in claims of government cover ups, threats and so on to "spice it up"?  I responded that I could only write about provable facts and my own experiences and would not lie to spice things up. My book suddenly became very uninteresting!

I am an archivist, researcher and historian  so what do I do -just gather all the material in files andf let it gather dust until I am no more and it all gets burnt or thrown into a skip and lost forever?  No, I do what most stupid people like me do: self publish in the belief that people would sooner have fact that sensationalist lies. 

There are a lot of us stupid people around.

Wildlife Crime. An Established British passtime

 

Someone shot and killed a deer, fox, badger and some rabbits then threw them over a gate in Hambrook. They were caught on CCTV and police involved. I have been asked to be kept informed but wildlife crime seems to be treated as a waste of time. Every night men and women go out to shoot and kill for 'fun' and their FB groups call them "sportsmen/women".

Cats, sheep -boring night anything is a fair target. There is no reason why anyone in the UK should have a fire arm other for in enclosed shooting ranges for 'sport'

I have given up on the UK as the people in it seem set to want to kill anything wild.

You Suspect Poison? REPORT it

 

If you ever take a sick fox into a vet and it dies then let us know, If the vet says "It's been poiisoned" then tell them it is a possible wildlife crime and as its poison the fox needs to be submitted to the Wildlife Crimes Investigation Unit or, in Bristol, contact Bristol Uni Post Mortem Services and ask to submit the fox for post mortem examination (PME).

If the vet refuses here is what to bear in mind:

While a vet is generally bound by strict client confidentiality, the [Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons](https://www.rcvsknowledge.org/.../when-is-it-safe-to.../) (RCVS) explicitly allows them to bypass this rule and report concerns to the relevant authorities if they believe the wider public interest or animal welfare is severely compromised.

The illegal use of pesticides or poisons can be reported to the government's [Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme](https://www.hse.gov.uk/.../wildlife-incident...) (WIIS) on 0800 321 600.

We have had seven vets in Bristol over the past few years who have told people "Its been poisoned" and in all cases the foxes were victims of car strike.

"Poison" -report and submit. NEVER EVER state an animal has been poisoned unless you have evidence as certain symptoms often quoted as evidence of poisoning can be related to other causes of death.

Thank you and good night Vienna.