Recent data obtained through a Freedom of Information request reveals that 15 big cat sightings were reported to Welsh officials between January 2020 and July 2025. These reports, spanning locations such as Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, and Swansea, included claims of panthers, a leopard, and a Canadian lynx.
In January 2023, a resident in Cwmtwrch reported seeing a spotted leopard in their garden. Although security lights were triggered, the local dog remained calm, and police were unable to reach the witness for further investigation. Similarly, a driver near Aberystwyth claimed to encounter a large, muscular black animal resembling a panther in May 2023. The creature allegedly leaped across the road, but no subsequent reports or livestock incidents were recorded by authorities.
Other incidents include a Canadian lynx reported in Port Henri in May 2025 and a purported puma-sized cat in Denbighshire. North Wales Police investigated the latter and concluded the sighting was not genuine. In all documented cases, officials took no formal action due to a lack of physical evidence or follow-up opportunities.
