Sheep farmer captures escaped leopard roaming countryside for one week

A farmer laid fox traps after some of his sheep were killed by the leopard
A farmer laid fox traps after some of his sheep were killed by the leopard

A leopard spent nearly an entire week roaming the Cornish countryside and hunting sheep after escaping its closure.

The leopard's presence in the Cornish countryside didn't stop until a sheep farmer set a fox trap to capture the big cat, which killed some of his sheep.

It has been reported that the leopard belongs to Todd Dalton, who won a legal battle to keep the animals, usually native to Nepal and China, in a south-east London garden 12 years ago.

Mr Dalton has since moved to Cornwall, where it escaped from his garden in Great Treverran, near Par on Boxing Day.

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Police were informed by the owner of a clouded leopard that his animal had escaped its inner compound on Boxing Day in Fowey.

"The leopard was still in its outer compound and efforts were being made by the owner to re-capture the animal.

"Officers were then informed by a local farmer that the leopard had broken out of its compound and had allegedly attacked some of his sheep. The animal was re-captured."

Mr Dalton has refused to comment on the matter.

Big cats and sheep

A spokeswoman for Cornwall Council added: "The owner of the animal that escaped does have the appropriate dangerous wild animal licence.

"A full audit of the premises and licence has been undertaken and the circumstances surrounding the escape fully investigated."

The incident follows news of a possible reintroduction of the wild cat lynx in the British countryside, which has worried the sheep industry.

UK farming unions have said it is "crystal clear" that any proposals to re-introduce predators such as lynx or wolves are of huge concern and danger to farmers.

Fresh concerns were raised after seven sheep were thought to have been attacked by a loose lynx last September.

And in December last year, a farming delegation visited Norway to hear of the devastating consequences that rewilding has on the local farming industry, where wild cats freely roam.