Get ready for a wild tale from Cumbria! DNA from a big cat has been found on a sheep carcass, stirring up more excitement about the legendary 'Beast of Cumbria.' Locals have long whispered about these shadowy felines prowling the countryside, and now there’s some hard evidence to back it up.

Last year, Sharon Larkin-Snowden, a seasoned big cat investigator in Cumbria, stumbled upon a sheep carcass and spotted what she described as a black panther nearby. Sharon, who’s chased down numerous big cat reports, has noticed that deer and sheep carcasses left by these mysterious predators tend to look like they’ve been meticulously prepared by a master chef.

The exact location of the carcass remains a secret, respecting the landowners' wishes. But Sharon was convinced she had found something significant. "Seeing the cat near the carcass and the way the carcass was consumed made me suspicious that this was potential evidence," she said. Local farmers agreed, hinting at a big cat lurking around.

Sharon handed over three swabs to Rick Minter, the brains behind the Big Cat Conversations podcast. Rick sent these samples to the University of Warwick’s School of Life Sciences, a top-notch DNA analysis center led by Professor Robin Allaby. The results? One swab indicated a panthera result, suggesting it came from a big cat genus, while two others showed fox DNA.

Professor Allaby explained, "The DNA sequence we found is specific to the Panthera group, which includes lions, tigers, panthers, and leopards. Though the DNA amount was tiny, it’s a strong lead. We need more samples to pinpoint the exact species."

Rick Minter, who’s been fascinated with big cats since spotting one in Cumbria 20 years ago, often collaborates with Sharon on sightings. "Sharon is a dedicated investigator, working with locals and farmers to understand how these secretive cats navigate the landscape. Getting hard evidence is crucial, and this DNA finding is a big step."

The buzz around big cats in Cumbria even drew Sky TV’s Hold the Front Page, featuring comedians Nish Kumar and Josh Widdicombe. They came to investigate but couldn’t snag a positive DNA sample. Rick said, "Their visit pushed us to keep looking, and when Sharon saw the big cat again in the Autumn, we decided to test once more. This is a great example of Citizen Science, driven by Sharon and her Facebook community."

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