Is it possible to have seen a puma or another big cat living wild in Portugal?
Pumas have never lived in Europe, except in zoos. They are native to North and South America. The only large wild cat in Europe is the lynx, which is considerably smaller than a puma, with a short tail and distinctive tufted ears. There is speculation that the large wild cats spotted in the UK, such as the Beast of Bodmin, might be pumas or leopards which are descended from those released in the 1970s. Before this it was legal to keep these animals as pets without a licence – when licencing laws came into effect, some people simply released their animals into the wild. This could be an explanation for any cat larger than a lynx seen in Portugal – either that, or more recent escapees from zoos or private owners.
