The Citizen (Gloucester)Wednesday, February 18, 2009, 08:00
A WILDLIFE film-maker's attempt to capture footage of big cats in the Forest of Dean will be on our screens tonight. [This was actually last night as we go to press - Ed.]
Rob Weaver set-up recording equipment in the Forest of Dean for a few weeks in the hope of catching the elusive cat on camera for BBC's Inside Out programme.
He said: "I can't tell you if we did see them because that would give the game away. You will have to watch the programme."
Rob and his team spent nearly eight weeks in the Forest hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive creature.
"We came down just after Christmas to set-up infra-red cameras and all our equipment.
"We followed the advice of a few locals who said they had seen the cats and based our cameras in those areas as well as in areas where we thought they would be," said Mr Weaver who also features on BBC One's Countryfile programme.
In January Forest rangers were given the strongest indication yet that wild cats do stalk the Dean.
Under a Freedom of Information Act request submitted by The Citizen the Forestry Commission confirmed two reliable sightings of large cats during the deer census.
A BBC spokeswoman said: "The programme looks at how a recent spate of sightings of the so called 'big cat' has revived long-standing claims by locals that the creatures are roaming wild. Wildlife filmmaker Rob Weaver takes up Inside Out's challenge of capturing them on camera."
Inside Out will be shown today at 7.30pm on BBC One. Outside of the West Midlands can watch it back on iPlayer or Sky's option.
Watch the programme on iPlayer: Inside Out West Midlands: Big Cats
See also: BBC > Inside Out > West Midlands > Big cats and wildlife
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