A female dog trainer has reported a sighting of a black leopard on a rural pathway at South Chailey. The woman saw the cat on Friday 27th January 2012 at 2:30 pm and stated that although it was some distance away it was clearly not a domestic cat or dog. The animal casually strolled along a track, stopped to stretch then sauntered off. When the woman had finished her lesson she went to the spot and found large paw prints.
Over the last decade there have been numerous reports of a melanistic leopard in the area, the same cat is possibly the animal seen at Polegate, Brighton, Uckfield etc.
Many reports from the county of Sussex are currently being collated for a new book, MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: SUSSEX. Watch this space.
