Beast of Bucks enthusiast reveals 10 big cat sightings - mapped

Paolo Nicolaides, a landscaper designing eco spaces and gardens, is a self-proclaimed big cat expert, who has tracked the rumoured Beast of Bucks sightings for years.

The 41-year-old, originally from West London, has obsessed about big cats in the area since he first went to the spot of an alleged sighting 20 years ago in Saunderton.

Paulo, who runs The Big Cats of the Chilterns Facebook group, said: “I know they exist, there are just too many sightings and clues like scats [droppings]. Some people might call me bonkers, but I don’t care. We are all bonkers! I believe there are big cats out there."

At the same time, Paulo confessed even he feels “sceptical sometimes” despite the “mind-boggling amount of evidence” like carcasses, scat and wounded animals like horses.

“It is a push to believe,” he admitted.

During his two-decade big cat journey, Paolo has seen farm animals allegedly savaged by big cats in Bucks, and spotted leopards living in and around the Indian megacity Mumbai.

Big cats have allegedly even roamed behind Homebase in High Wycombe after they crossed London Road under the cover of darkness.

The equipment Paulo used to track a wild cat in High Wycombe (Image: Paulo Nicolaides)

But their existence remains unconfirmed.

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Paulo was unfazed by sceptics' ridicule, and the majestic animals remain his passion.

“My dream is to integrate humans with nature.

“Humans are inherently stupid, and we destroy. I like that these big cats are surrounding us, and it fascinates me. They will still be here after us,” he added.

He said big cats have been recently spotted around Amersham, Hodgemoor Woods and in Chesham.

See the map below for 10 Buckinghamshire hotspots according to Paulo.

How did big cats end up Buckinghamshire?

Paolo’s theory links bag to the Victorian and colonial era, and when leopards, pumas and lynx were brought from abroad back to England as status symbol pets.

“I believe some of these really rich lords living around Buckinghamshire had them as pets, and they wanted to see how they would survive here, so they released them.

“All I’m trying to do is to show people they are real. I just want people to know that these sightings are happenning everywhere," he added. 

He said if his enthusiasm encourages young people to leave their phones for a moment and go out to do their own research on big cats, he is happy.