The Beast of Baza?

[EdX20]

While returning on my bike ride from a ride in the Sierra de Baza yesterday I was surprised to see, on a quiet camino near my home, the freshly-mauled remains of what I am almost certain used to be a large dog. The tangled, bloody mess contained the lengthy hind legs and not a lot else.

While muttering "Yuk" to myself I wondered what sort of animal would be capable of inflicting such damage. (I also quietly rejoiced that there was one fewer dog around to disturb me with its barking).

Then this morning I was out talking a pre-breakfast walk in the fresh snow on the hill above my home when I noticed a trail of footprints along the same track I was using. The prints were so large I stopped, stared and wondered. The large ones, presumably the front paws, were the same length as my outstretched hand, so say around 19cm, and roughly as wide as my palm. They had an oval shape with pronounced toes and no visible claw marks. I didn't have a camera with me but I expect they will still be there. The dog legs had gone from the spot where I saw them yesterday.

I had a look online at footprint identification charts and I have to say the nearest I could see were those of a....wait for it...a lion (!)

I doubt an Iberian Lynx would possess such paws and I am struggling to come up with other reasonable candidates. I also doubt that the prints started smaller and enlarged in the snow because it was barely above freezing this morning and the prints looked fresh.

Any thoughts?

[BENIDORM]

Big foot ?....( Sasquatchen..)

Seriously though possibly a Wolf or more probably a Big Dog .

And before anyone states that there are no longer any wolves in Spain, not true, I've seen at least two....
Regards,
Gordon

[scotty]

Quick, get the camera out. Calling the A.com wild animal investigation team to the forum

[ebbnflow]

Yes, without pictures...

If the prints were well formed and lacked claw marks then the animal could be of the cat family, with claws could be the dog family.