A “wild animal” that caused the Cooper's Island Nature Reserve to be closed off on Friday evening was revealed to be a “rather large feral cat”, according to the Parks Department.

Police, along with the Parks Department and representatives of the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo responded to a report of a wild animal in the St David's park on Friday afternoon.

The park was subsequently closed off to the public out of an abundance of caution.

Police declined to comment on what type of wild animal had been spotted, leading members of the public to speculate about what it could be. Staff returned to the area on Saturday morning to continue their investigation.

In a statement later that day, a spokeswoman for the Parks Department said: “It is believed that the animal seen is a rather large feral cat from St David's known to frequent the park.”