Panther tracks found

New Carlisle resident says he saw big cat in field; deputies on hunt.

NEW CARLISLE — Several footprints that apparently belong to a large exotic cat have been found in the area.

Resident Jeff Brown said his neighbor, Matt Cooper, called him Sunday morning saying he’d spotted what looked like a panther sunning itself in his hay field in the New Carlisle area.

“He called me and said, ‘I just shot at something out back. I think I might have hit it,’ ” Brown said.

Believing it to be a black panther, the two set out with Clark County sheriff deputies but could not find it. However, they did find several footprints authorities said looked like those of a large cat.

Sheriff Gene Kelly said after receiving reports of a panther in the Harrison Twp. area in Montgomery County, he believes it could be the same cat.

“It could have followed the river and come north,” he said. “We have alerted Miami County and Champaign County since this area borders those other counties.”

Brown said he’s sure it was a panther, about 4 feet in length. He tied a large piece of venison in a nearby tree, and when he checked back hours later, something had devoured it.

Deputies are following up, and Kelly said anyone who spots the animal should notify his office and not try to catch it.

Following the release of several exotic animals in Muskingham County that had to be put down by authorities, Kelly said he’d like to apprehend the animal “in the most humane way” possible.

“We would certainly like to capture this animal safely and make sure the community is safe as well,” Kelly said.

By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/springfield-news/panther-tracks-found-1274063.html

Police Blotter: Woman Reports Panther in Her Yard (via Chad Arment)

A Knowlton Parkway woman called police about 4:50 p.m. Oct. 13 and said she was getting ready to leave her apartment but was afraid to go outside because she looked out her back window and saw a black panther outside.

Police were unable to locate a panther in the area. They told the woman it was safe to go to her car.

http://strongsville.patch.com/articles/police-blotter-woman-reports-panther-in-her-yard

Panthers Prowling in Strongsville? Good Question
When a resident on Knowlton Parkway called police Oct. 13, she was so sure she had seen a panther outside she was afraid to walk to her car.

Local animal experts say it's unlikely that's what she saw.

"I hear about sightings from time to time," Animal Warden Mike Roth said. "But when I check them out, I haven't seen any signs of them."

But others insist it's possible that a panther -- also called a puma or a cougar -- was, in fact, strolling through Strongsville because they've seen one, too.

Roseann Cyngier said her husband, Peter, spotted a huge black cat in the field behind their woods several years ago and called her over to see it.

"Later, it was sighted in Medina County," Roseann said.

A 2008 story in the Medina County Gazette said a number of people in Sharon Township had glimpsed a large cat they believed was a puma. One resident saw it slip into the woods near Chippewa Lake; another found 4-inch-wide paw prints between Brunswick and Medina.

Jane Christyson, director of marketing for Cleveland Metroparks, said big cats aren't hiding out in the woods there.

"We have not had any confirmed sightings in Cleveland Metroparks at all," she said.

But Christyson said a puma was recently killed by a car in Connecticut and found to match puma living in North Dakota, indicating that some -- or at least one -- migrated across several states.
Roth said someone reported seeing a very large cat on I-71 near Pearl Road last year, but he was unable to locate tracks, even though there was snow on the ground.

And this summer, someone in Forest Park reported seeing a panther or other big cat. "I never did see signs of it, though," Roth said.

He said he would check the area around Knowlton Parkway, but said wth leaves on the ground, it would be difficult to see paw prints.

http://strongsville.patch.com/articles/panthers-prowling-in-strongsville-good-question

 

Wildlife Officials Celebrate Fla. Panther Sighting

Only 150 Panthers Left In State, Officials Say

POSTED: 11:07 pm EST March 9, 2011

CHULUOTA, Fla. -- State wildlife officials are celebrating a panther sighting in Seminole County.

A set of tracks of a male panther was discovered in the Bronson State Forest, wildlife officials said.

Wildlife officials said Florida panthers are considered endangered with only about 100 to 160 left in the entire state, the majority of which are in the Everglades of South Florida.

Wildlife officials said they are hoping a female panther will also relocate to the area so the species will continue to expand.

http://www.wesh.com/news/27141525/detail.html

Panther sightings have residents freaked, experts skeptical

Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 9:30 PM

By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune

In the New Orleans area, panther hysteria is at fever pitch.

With residents reporting near daily sightings, you'd think we were under attack.

Truth is, the myth of the black panther in Louisiana - and throughout the United States - has a long phantom existence, according to physiologists and biologists.

Maria Davidson, the large carnivore program manager for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, calmly explained that the only black panthers in existence are black jaguars found in South America and black leopards that live in Asia and Africa.

The North American black panther generally falls under the term "cryptid," a creature whose existence has been suggested but is not recognized by the scientific community and has been deemed highly unlikely. Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster fall under that category.

They also have been called "phantom cats," "alien big cats" (ABCs), and in certain circles, the sightings have been dubbed "panther paranoia."

And while some people, including local law enforcement officials, discuss the possibility of a black cougar in our midst, Davidson assuredly said black cougars do not exist at all. They come only in tawny and fawn colors, ranging from light gray-brown to a brownish orange.

In fact, she said, Louisiana does not have a breeding population of cougars - in any color - and that the last cougar found in the state was in 2009 and that animal was genetically linked to a population in New Mexico.

Last weekend, two panther sightings were reported, one in St. Tammany Parish and one in Plaquemines Parish. A few days earlier, a man in St. Bernard Parish said he and his wife saw one sitting a block from their garage, staring at them calmly, before darting into nearby woods.

Several other reports of sightings have streamed into Davidson's office and to the news media.

The recent fervor began several weeks ago, when a woman purportedly spotted a panther in a tree behind her house. Plaquemines Parish sheriff's officials went out with Davidson to investigate.

Davidson said she later confirmed that the footprints belonged to a dog.

Recently a photo began circulating on Facebook, and soon made its rounds on local television news channels, that a Plaquemines woman said she took on Sunday. Davidson said the photo certainly is of a house cat, likely measuring about 3 feet from nose to back of tail.

Other supposed black panther photos have come to her attention in the past few weeks, and she said all were much too blurry to decipher.

Plaquemines sheriff's Sgt. Robert Cullum went to the original black panther sighting in Phoenix on Plaquemines' east bank and has searched each day with hunter dogs, trained to track deer. He said he saw a 6-foot-long black cat.

A week or so after the original sighting, residents reported that the cat had moved south to the riverside community of Davant, and now Cullum predicted it is in the Bohemian area, farther south along the parish's east bank.

A Plaquemines sheriff helicopter still regularly circles the area.

Also chiming in, Lake Borne Levee District Police and levee contractors in the Violet area have reported panthers in the area.

And last Thursday, a couple in Violet called the St. Bernard Sheriff's Office and reported a panther near their home. St. Bernard sheriff's officials, especially after news broke about it on Monday, searched the woods there for the past two days to no avail.

Meanwhile, a Folsom couple recently reported to television media that their home surveillance cameras caught a panther on film Saturday. They have not reported it to government officials, and Davidson said on Tuesday that she yet heard of it.

Donna Davis said she now won't let her eight grandchildren out of the house at night.

"There is no refuting from this video what he is. It is very obvious, very clear," she said. "From head to tip to tail it's almost 6 feet, 7 feet and he has a girth to him like you can't believe. It's a massive, massive cat."

She and her husband Randy Davis have horses on their 20-acre property but say none has been injured. She said they have now added better lighting and are using live chickens to bait the panther in hopes of getting a better shot on film.

Erin C. Dupuis, a clinical psychologist at Loyola University, said one explanation for the recent flood of panther reports is the "availability heuristic."

The recent barrage of media reports about panther sightings scare people, thus making a significant impression on their psyche. In turn, they begin thinking about panthers more and they begin to have the impression that more black panthers exist than actually do, she explained.

"Now, when I go to my backyard I am primed to think that what I see is a black panther, even though it might just be a big cat or dog that is blurry in the side of my vision," said Dupuis, who studies how people think about their social environment.

Another explanation Dupuis posed is the "confirmation bias," which states when people think something exists, they seek out information that confirms those beliefs.

Davidson said when a pet goes missing, people often will jump to the conclusion that it was a panther, or a cougar, instead of the neighborhood dog, a coyote or an even simpler explanation: that the cat simply ran away.

"It's a phenomenon that we talk about quite often actually, just among the professionals who deal with it," Davidson said.

And after the state Wildlife and Fisheries Department debunks stories about roaming black panthers, explaining that they do not exist in the area, Davidson said people often try to find another explanation, and resort to stories about how wild, exotic pets must have sprung loose from their owners.

According to urban myth, in St. Bernard's Poydras area before Hurricane Katrina, a man owned two panthers -- one brown and one black. When the deluge came, he let the beasts loose and for the past five years they've been out in the marshes.

St. Bernard officials say no records were kept from before the storm and most of the pre-storm staff in the local animal control department have since left town, making research into the story difficult.

But, any owners of the world's six big cats -- tigers, lions, jaguars, leopards, cheetahs and cougars -- must receive a permit from Wildlife and Fisheries, and Davidson said none has been issued.

Photos and video at: http://www.nola.com/pets/index.ssf/2011/02/panther_sightings_have_residen.html

‘Creature’ spotted by surprised office staff

Published on Wed Feb 02 10:20:13 GMT 2011

IS there a panther on the prowl in Wigan?

Stunned civil servants have told how they spotted a mysterious black beast from their office windows.

The creature was observed for some time in the ‘‘wilds’’ on the Three Sisters country park, at one point climbing a tree and settling in to survey its unlikely territory.

It then jumped onto a wall and a roof before disappearing into the undergrowth.

The animal, which was between 100 and 150 yards away, was witnessed by at least half a dozen stunned staff at the DWP’s giant Griffin House Job Centre Plus call centre whose rear windows overlook the sprawling former pit ruck site which these days connects with open land as far away as Bickershaw and Abram.

Eye witness Julie Fairclough says she knows the difference between a pet moggy and a Big Cat.

She said: “I’ve got a tom cat called Oliver who weighs in at a stone and four pounds so I know the difference between a big pet and this amazing animal.’’

But Wigan Leisure Trust’s repected countryside manager Graham Workman, who was once called out by police after reports of a lion stalking through the undergrowth of Worthington Lakes, believes the six benefits staff were “mistaken.”

He warned: “Animals seen at that type of range with the naked eye can be very difficult to identify accurately.’’

Mrs Fairclough, who lives in Hindley, said: ‘‘It was seen by five or six staff, I saw it first and then we all had a good look.

‘‘We were all inside working but we could all see it clearly from the windows because it was quite close to the staff car park.

‘‘It’s a call centre and I am tied to the desk but I have one view of the world, which is this window and I am gazing at this scene all day long and it was then that I saw this fabulous creature about 150 yards away.

“I called my workmates over to have a look because I could hardly believe my eyes and there were quite a few eventually looking.

‘‘At first I saw it in a tree and initially I thought it was a big group of birds roosting together and then it started moving and I realised what I was looking at ... a sleek, black big cat.

‘‘It jumped a gap to sit on the top of a building and later when I went out to check the gap was about 12 feet so it shows the size of the animal we were looking at.

‘‘It was literally walking backwards and forwards in an area and it looked like it was patrolling.

‘‘I have a big domestic pet cat myself and this was huge, it would make 25 of my Oliver. I am four feet 11 tall and this would have been up to my hip.’’

Countryside manager Mr Workman said he went dashing out to Lawns Wood about six months ago over a similar sounding sighting as this but in this case the caller was convinced he had seen a Bob Cat (Lynx) – but nothing came of it.

“Before I went out I gave our licensing people a ring because animals like this have to be registered with the local authority under the Dangerous Wild Animals legislation.

“There were non registered here or with Bolton or Lancs County and that is certainly the case here with panthers, there are none living legally within the borough.

"I believe that they have seen a big black cat and the perspectives have been playing tricks on them. I have been over there in the snow many times this winter and never seen any tracks that could suggest we have a creature anywhere near that size ranging around Three Sisters. A big cat like that would also need a steady supply of sheep rather than a few measly ducks to eat to keep it going so if there was one hunting around there I find it impossible to believe we wouldn’t have already heard about it from angry farmers."

http://www.wigantoday.net/news/creature_spotted_by_surprised_office_staff_1_3033212

Has the Hills' big cat been found?

A PARTIALLY decomposed body of the mysterious “panther” has been found on a South Maroota property, reigniting speculation on the existence of a big cat roaming Hills bushland.


On November 28, Geoff Nowland’s three American staffies brought the dead panther to him, prompting him to call his mate Peter Spiteri to come over and have a look.

"When I looked at it, I could not tell what it was and it freaked me out a bit,” Mr Spiteri said .

“It definitely did not look like any dog or feral cat I have ever seen, especially with the fangs and teeth it has on it.”

Mr Spiteri said a week before the dogs found the dead panther, Mr Nowland’s puppy was mauled so badly it nearly had one of its legs amputated.

“The vet was very concerned and did not know what could have attacked the puppy so badly to cause it such severe injuries,” he said.

“I know there have been a lot of sightings of this panther out here, but it is pretty freaky to see it up close.”

The pair have buried the dead panther on Mr Nowland’s property because of the stink and to stop the dogs from getting at it.

Friend of the pair and Maraylya rally car driver Bruce Garland was the first to alert the Hills Shire Times to the images of the panther just before it was buried.

“There have been sightings of this panther out here for years and the other day it was sighted on the golf course at Riverside Oaks,” Mr Garland said.

“I think this panther was found on this property because it was either sick or it was protecting its own little ones.

“There definitely has to be more than one roaming around.”

Panther expert Mike Williams, who was involved in the famous 2005 dead panther shooting incident in Gippsland by a Victorian hunter, has lent his expertise to the Times to examine, measure and take samples from our dead animal.

Mr Williams and his partner Rebecca Lang launched their book Australian Big Cats: An Unnatural History of Panthers earlier this year.

Late yesterday, Mr Williams was digging up the animal’s body at the property to take measurements and samples.

“This would have been a very stocky muscular animal,” he said upon finding the two week old carcass.

“I would say it is a “big fearless cat” and in “big” I mean it is not your typical domestic animal, it has been crossed or mutated in some way.

“This is exciting and we definitly have something very interesting here.

“It could have done a lot of damage to the Australian wildlife.

“It would have been three to four times bigger then what we found, two weeks ago when it was buried.”


VANESSA BRADBURY

Has the Hills' big cat been found?

A PARTIALLY decomposed body of the mysterious “panther” has been found on a South Maroota property, reigniting speculation on the existence of a big cat roaming Hills bushland.


On November 28, Geoff Nowland’s three American staffies brought the dead panther to him, prompting him to call his mate Peter Spiteri to come over and have a look.

"When I looked at it, I could not tell what it was and it freaked me out a bit,” Mr Spiteri said .

“It definitely did not look like any dog or feral cat I have ever seen, especially with the fangs and teeth it has on it.”

Mr Spiteri said a week before the dogs found the dead panther, Mr Nowland’s puppy was mauled so badly it nearly had one of its legs amputated.

“The vet was very concerned and did not know what could have attacked the puppy so badly to cause it such severe injuries,” he said.

“I know there have been a lot of sightings of this panther out here, but it is pretty freaky to see it up close.”

The pair have buried the dead panther on Mr Nowland’s property because of the stink and to stop the dogs from getting at it.

Friend of the pair and Maraylya rally car driver Bruce Garland was the first to alert the Hills Shire Times to the images of the panther just before it was buried.

“There have been sightings of this panther out here for years and the other day it was sighted on the golf course at Riverside Oaks,” Mr Garland said.

“I think this panther was found on this property because it was either sick or it was protecting its own little ones.

“There definitely has to be more than one roaming around.”

Panther expert Mike Williams, who was involved in the famous 2005 dead panther shooting incident in Gippsland by a Victorian hunter, has lent his expertise to the Times to examine, measure and take samples from our dead animal.

Mr Williams and his partner Rebecca Lang launched their book Australian Big Cats: An Unnatural History of Panthers earlier this year.

Late yesterday, Mr Williams was digging up the animal’s body at the property to take measurements and samples.

“This would have been a very stocky muscular animal,” he said upon finding the two week old carcass.

“I would say it is a “big fearless cat” and in “big” I mean it is not your typical domestic animal, it has been crossed or mutated in some way.

“This is exciting and we definitly have something very interesting here.

“It could have done a lot of damage to the Australian wildlife.

“It would have been three to four times bigger then what we found, two weeks ago when it was buried.”


VANESSA BRADBURY

Tracking down the Panther

Panther-like big cats here in the Mountains? Surely not! Yet a string of people over the years insist they've seen or heard one.


Digging into their stories proved intriguing for writer/photographer Michael Williams and journalist Rebecca Lang, who recently published their book Australian Big Cats – An Unnatural History of Panthers.

They report that big cat sightings are a problem in many rural areas around Australia with substantial stock losses in some; they describe their book as "a meaty compendium of sightings, killing sprees, narrow escapes, myths and mysteries that have come to form an intriguing chapter of Australian folklore."

A profusion of big-cat sightings in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury areas caused the NSW Government to initiate two official inquiries in 1999-2001 and 2008 that sparked much media attention, but yielded nothing.

Even today you can download two PDF files from a State Government website, one with this handy animal size-and-shape comparison:

The book's Blue Mountains chapter explores encounters with the Lithgow Panther, the Katoomba Lion and "the monster of Erskine Gap" — plus many others that have left those who reported them quite traumatised.


The Lithgow Mercury has documented many big cat sightings over the years — here's a sampling ...

Paul Vanstone - 2005 near the bottom of Scenic Hill:
"Whatever it was made my hair on the back of my neck stand on end — and it definitely wasn't a dog." The animal was "loping like the big cats you see at the zoo."

Josh Phipps, of Vale of Clywdd, in August, 2004: Standing outside his home, he heard a noise "like the screech of big cats that I've seen at the zoo, but not like a lion's roar." He didn't see what made the noise, but the screech drove his dogs wild.

Phil Kellond and some friends spotted a 'panther' sunning itself on the mountainside above Lithgow's Macauley and Laidley Streets intersection one Friday in June, 2004. The animal was "definitely a cat but as big as my German Shepherd ... it blew me out of my tree. I used to be a sceptic about the Lithgow Panther; now I'm a believer."

The authors apply a happy balance of open mindedness and skepticism to their wide research, but the nagging possibility persists: "The anecdotes and physical traces left behind certainly seem to point to something big, black and feline."

They even unearth an observation by the late Myles Dunphy, who explored the Blue Mountains wilderness as a bushwalker over many years and was instrumental in having it saved as national park:

"One thing is fairly obvious: this country is so enormous in extent, and many areas are so rugged that careful predators are able to roam about and subsist with little risk of being seen by people."

You'll need to read the book to canvas all the theories, including a possible link with the long presumed extinct marsupial lion Thylacoleo carnifex. Bear in mind that the Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis) — one of the world's oldest and rarest trees — was only discovered in this wilderness in 1994.

The book has generated wide interest since it was published in July - indexed in the National Library as: 'Panthers - Folklore' and 'Animals - Mythology - Australia'. You can buy it at your favourite bookstore or directly from the book's website. With such dedicated research and analysis, it's definitely a recommended read.

All right, just bunkum, you may be thinking. But remember those State Government inquiries and that stuff that would-be 'panther' hunters can download from the Internet. Perhaps the digital age will finally expose the 'panther' for what it really is, or they really are.


Your Panther Hunting Kit
Hard evidence is essential, so Whistler suggests the following as a suitable 'panther' hunting kit:

First, get and read the book carefully.

Next, download and read carefully the two documents (links below) from the NSW Department of Primary Industry.

Equip yourself with a combo still/movie digital camera — try the Kodak Zi8 pocket video camera that can shoot 1080p HD video — and keep it with you on bushwalks.

Carry a map or GPS to identify your location in case you see a 'panther'.

Take care and use commonsense. Whistler takes no responsibility for your safety.

References:
Australian Big Cats – An Unnatural History of Panthers
Primefact 506 Second Edition - for 'Black Cat identification
Unidentified Animal Report form

Tracking down the Panther

Panther-like big cats here in the Mountains? Surely not! Yet a string of people over the years insist they've seen or heard one.


Digging into their stories proved intriguing for writer/photographer Michael Williams and journalist Rebecca Lang, who recently published their book Australian Big Cats – An Unnatural History of Panthers.

They report that big cat sightings are a problem in many rural areas around Australia with substantial stock losses in some; they describe their book as "a meaty compendium of sightings, killing sprees, narrow escapes, myths and mysteries that have come to form an intriguing chapter of Australian folklore."

A profusion of big-cat sightings in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury areas caused the NSW Government to initiate two official inquiries in 1999-2001 and 2008 that sparked much media attention, but yielded nothing.

Even today you can download two PDF files from a State Government website, one with this handy animal size-and-shape comparison:

The book's Blue Mountains chapter explores encounters with the Lithgow Panther, the Katoomba Lion and "the monster of Erskine Gap" — plus many others that have left those who reported them quite traumatised.


The Lithgow Mercury has documented many big cat sightings over the years — here's a sampling ...

Paul Vanstone - 2005 near the bottom of Scenic Hill:
"Whatever it was made my hair on the back of my neck stand on end — and it definitely wasn't a dog." The animal was "loping like the big cats you see at the zoo."

Josh Phipps, of Vale of Clywdd, in August, 2004: Standing outside his home, he heard a noise "like the screech of big cats that I've seen at the zoo, but not like a lion's roar." He didn't see what made the noise, but the screech drove his dogs wild.

Phil Kellond and some friends spotted a 'panther' sunning itself on the mountainside above Lithgow's Macauley and Laidley Streets intersection one Friday in June, 2004. The animal was "definitely a cat but as big as my German Shepherd ... it blew me out of my tree. I used to be a sceptic about the Lithgow Panther; now I'm a believer."

The authors apply a happy balance of open mindedness and skepticism to their wide research, but the nagging possibility persists: "The anecdotes and physical traces left behind certainly seem to point to something big, black and feline."

They even unearth an observation by the late Myles Dunphy, who explored the Blue Mountains wilderness as a bushwalker over many years and was instrumental in having it saved as national park:

"One thing is fairly obvious: this country is so enormous in extent, and many areas are so rugged that careful predators are able to roam about and subsist with little risk of being seen by people."

You'll need to read the book to canvas all the theories, including a possible link with the long presumed extinct marsupial lion Thylacoleo carnifex. Bear in mind that the Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis) — one of the world's oldest and rarest trees — was only discovered in this wilderness in 1994.

The book has generated wide interest since it was published in July - indexed in the National Library as: 'Panthers - Folklore' and 'Animals - Mythology - Australia'. You can buy it at your favourite bookstore or directly from the book's website. With such dedicated research and analysis, it's definitely a recommended read.

All right, just bunkum, you may be thinking. But remember those State Government inquiries and that stuff that would-be 'panther' hunters can download from the Internet. Perhaps the digital age will finally expose the 'panther' for what it really is, or they really are.


Your Panther Hunting Kit
Hard evidence is essential, so Whistler suggests the following as a suitable 'panther' hunting kit:

First, get and read the book carefully.

Next, download and read carefully the two documents (links below) from the NSW Department of Primary Industry.

Equip yourself with a combo still/movie digital camera — try the Kodak Zi8 pocket video camera that can shoot 1080p HD video — and keep it with you on bushwalks.

Carry a map or GPS to identify your location in case you see a 'panther'.

Take care and use commonsense. Whistler takes no responsibility for your safety.

References:
Australian Big Cats – An Unnatural History of Panthers
Primefact 506 Second Edition - for 'Black Cat identification
Unidentified Animal Report form

Mystery cat photographed: Panther or bobcat? Or something else?

RIGHT: This interesting cat was photographed in Screven County recently by a hunter's trail camera. Can you identify the species?

 Rob Pavey | Tue, Sep. 28 1:27 PM

Georgia wildlife officials say we don't have panthers - and people who claim to have seen one continue to insist otherwise.

It's a perennial stalemate that has lingered for decades, with dozens of sightings reported annually across Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.

Without evidence, however, the reports are routinely dismissed as mistaken identity linked to hound dogs, bobcats, large feral cats or small deer.

The lone exception was a 140-pound panther killed during a black powder hunt in 2008 near West Point Lake in Troup County. Genetic tests confirmed it was not - as biologists first said - an escaped pet.

It was a Florida panther and a member of the last subspecies of cougar still surviving in the eastern U.S., with fewer than 120 animals.

Almost two years later, authorities still have no explanation of how the cat ended up in Georgia - 600 miles from its known habitat.

Such mysteries bring up the obvious question of whether there could be other panthers - or something other than panthers that could explain the persistent sightings.

The most recent ones I'm aware of occurred just this past month.

One was a woman's call to Columbia County authorities claiming to have seen a panther at the New Hope Baptist Church Cemetery in the Campania community.

The other was this actual photo - taken by a hunter's trail camera - in Screven County.

The image, snapped about an hour before daylight, shows a dark cat meandering through swamp grass. Its tail is not visible, but it has an unmistakable flat, feline face.

Could it be a panther? Perhaps not. It doesn't appear large enough to be a mature cat from a species that routinely grows to be more than seven feet long.

Other opinions are that it could be a bobcat in low light, or perhaps a mature feral cat that has somehow interbred with bobcats.

The seemingly pointed ears on the cat in the photo might lend credence to that argument, since panthers have more rounded ears. But the angle of the photo could also have made rounded ears seem more pointed.

One common denominator among many reported "panther" sightings is a description of a cat much smaller than a typical panther, leading some theorists to surmise the creatures could be jaguarundi, a panther-like wildcat native to Mexico and Central America that has been found in Texas and Florida.

The jaguarundi is known to inhabit swamps and remote river basins and is so elusive that relatively little is known about the species. It is also commonly found with dark brown or black fur, which could help explain the large percentage of sightings in which the cat was a "black" panther.

Wildlife biologists continue to say it is unlikely that panthers, jaguarundis or other such predators are living in our midst undetected. And people who have seen them will continue to disagree.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/content/blog-post/rob-pavey/2010-09-28/mystery-cat-photographed-panther-or-bobcat-or-something-else
(Submitted by Chad Arment)

Mystery cat photographed: Panther or bobcat? Or something else?

RIGHT: This interesting cat was photographed in Screven County recently by a hunter's trail camera. Can you identify the species?

 Rob Pavey | Tue, Sep. 28 1:27 PM

Georgia wildlife officials say we don't have panthers - and people who claim to have seen one continue to insist otherwise.

It's a perennial stalemate that has lingered for decades, with dozens of sightings reported annually across Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.

Without evidence, however, the reports are routinely dismissed as mistaken identity linked to hound dogs, bobcats, large feral cats or small deer.

The lone exception was a 140-pound panther killed during a black powder hunt in 2008 near West Point Lake in Troup County. Genetic tests confirmed it was not - as biologists first said - an escaped pet.

It was a Florida panther and a member of the last subspecies of cougar still surviving in the eastern U.S., with fewer than 120 animals.

Almost two years later, authorities still have no explanation of how the cat ended up in Georgia - 600 miles from its known habitat.

Such mysteries bring up the obvious question of whether there could be other panthers - or something other than panthers that could explain the persistent sightings.

The most recent ones I'm aware of occurred just this past month.

One was a woman's call to Columbia County authorities claiming to have seen a panther at the New Hope Baptist Church Cemetery in the Campania community.

The other was this actual photo - taken by a hunter's trail camera - in Screven County.

The image, snapped about an hour before daylight, shows a dark cat meandering through swamp grass. Its tail is not visible, but it has an unmistakable flat, feline face.

Could it be a panther? Perhaps not. It doesn't appear large enough to be a mature cat from a species that routinely grows to be more than seven feet long.

Other opinions are that it could be a bobcat in low light, or perhaps a mature feral cat that has somehow interbred with bobcats.

The seemingly pointed ears on the cat in the photo might lend credence to that argument, since panthers have more rounded ears. But the angle of the photo could also have made rounded ears seem more pointed.

One common denominator among many reported "panther" sightings is a description of a cat much smaller than a typical panther, leading some theorists to surmise the creatures could be jaguarundi, a panther-like wildcat native to Mexico and Central America that has been found in Texas and Florida.

The jaguarundi is known to inhabit swamps and remote river basins and is so elusive that relatively little is known about the species. It is also commonly found with dark brown or black fur, which could help explain the large percentage of sightings in which the cat was a "black" panther.

Wildlife biologists continue to say it is unlikely that panthers, jaguarundis or other such predators are living in our midst undetected. And people who have seen them will continue to disagree.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/content/blog-post/rob-pavey/2010-09-28/mystery-cat-photographed-panther-or-bobcat-or-something-else
(Submitted by Chad Arment)

Big cat on prowl in Forest

By freddie whittaker freddie.whittaker@glosmedia.co.uk

A MYSTERIOUS black beast has been spotted prowling about Gloucestershire.

Three witnesses have contacted the Big Cats in Britain organisation to report sightings of a large black cat in Hasfield near Ashleworth.

The report on the group's website says the creature was last spotted on Saturday.

Witnesses described it as being black with rounded ears and a thick tail about 30cm long. They also say it was slightly smaller than a German shepherd dog.

The report said: "Firstly I was inside and spotted the cat out in the middle of the field by an old tree where a lot of rabbits tend to live.

"Having watched it from inside through the binoculars for about 45 minutes I then went outside to get slightly closer.

"The big cat was aware I was there but was in no way bothered at all (it had a good old stare at me!).

"The big cat moved around the tree several times with one successful catch and then made its way along the hedgerow and up into the woodland surrounding the field."

Black cats spotted are often claimed to be lynxes or pumas, but some cynics claim they could be black dogs, such as Labradors.

Forest-based big cat expert Danny Nineham said: "I've heard nothing about these sightings, in fact I've never heard of sightings in that area at all. I can't remember off-hand the last time I saw one, but it doesn't surprise me. Those things are everywhere."

Gloucestershire has become notorious for big cat sightings after years of speculation across the county.

Schoolgirl Kim Howells had a 15th birthday to remember after coming face to face with a big cat in May.

The Heywood pupil fled in terror after being pursued by what she believes was a panther in woods near Ruspidge.

In January 2009, The Citizen reported that, under the Freedom of Information Act, the Forestry Commission confirmed two reliable sightings of large cats.

For more information visit www.bigcatsinbritain.org

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/environment/Big-cat-prowl-Forest/article-2595511-detail/article.html

Big cat on prowl in Forest

By freddie whittaker freddie.whittaker@glosmedia.co.uk

A MYSTERIOUS black beast has been spotted prowling about Gloucestershire.

Three witnesses have contacted the Big Cats in Britain organisation to report sightings of a large black cat in Hasfield near Ashleworth.

The report on the group's website says the creature was last spotted on Saturday.

Witnesses described it as being black with rounded ears and a thick tail about 30cm long. They also say it was slightly smaller than a German shepherd dog.

The report said: "Firstly I was inside and spotted the cat out in the middle of the field by an old tree where a lot of rabbits tend to live.

"Having watched it from inside through the binoculars for about 45 minutes I then went outside to get slightly closer.

"The big cat was aware I was there but was in no way bothered at all (it had a good old stare at me!).

"The big cat moved around the tree several times with one successful catch and then made its way along the hedgerow and up into the woodland surrounding the field."

Black cats spotted are often claimed to be lynxes or pumas, but some cynics claim they could be black dogs, such as Labradors.

Forest-based big cat expert Danny Nineham said: "I've heard nothing about these sightings, in fact I've never heard of sightings in that area at all. I can't remember off-hand the last time I saw one, but it doesn't surprise me. Those things are everywhere."

Gloucestershire has become notorious for big cat sightings after years of speculation across the county.

Schoolgirl Kim Howells had a 15th birthday to remember after coming face to face with a big cat in May.

The Heywood pupil fled in terror after being pursued by what she believes was a panther in woods near Ruspidge.

In January 2009, The Citizen reported that, under the Freedom of Information Act, the Forestry Commission confirmed two reliable sightings of large cats.

For more information visit www.bigcatsinbritain.org

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/environment/Big-cat-prowl-Forest/article-2595511-detail/article.html

‘Panther’ sighted at caravan park

Warning after Sheriff sees black animal the size of labrador at Dornoch site where children play

Published: 01/09/2010

Police yesterday issued a warning to the public after an animal resembling a black panther was sighted in a Highland caravan park where children play.

The public are advised not to approach the animal if they come across it and report any sightings to their nearest police station as soon as possible.

The Saturday sighting at Dornoch Caravan Park was the second time a member of the public had spotted such a creature in one week.

The sighting was made by Sheriff Donald Booker-Milburn, now retired, who was driving home to Clashmore after exercising his Irish setter Finn at Dornoch beach, and was on the narrow road that passes the caravan park.

He said: “Suddenly this lovely, sleek animal dashes across our bows from right to left and I thought ‘that’s not a pussy cat.’

“It was far too big, I would say about the size of a six-month-old labrador. The way it moved, too, convinced me it was some type of panther.

“The dog’s eyes were out on organ stalks, and I told him ‘that’s not for you.’

“I used to poo-poo these sightings, but not any more. I am convinced what I saw was a black panther. From its condition it was obviously living well.”

Sheriff Booker-Milburn added: “My wife said I should report it to the police because there are children around that area.”

The earlier sighting was at the Tain bombing range by range warden Ray Paton on August 26. At 6.30am, Mr Paton was completing his usual duties of driving around the range, checking it was safe and the targets were clear, when the creature appeared in front of him.

Mr Paton said: “It was a big black cat, about 4ft and, as soon as it saw me, it dashed off. I tried to follow it but decided to return to the building and phone the police.”

After the incident, Mr Paton spoke to one of the farmers who own land surrounding the range and he said they had discovered a dead sheep the week before that looked as if it had been savaged by something.

Mr Paton added: “He said it looked like the sheep’s face and throat had been eaten.

“I’ve worked at this base for 30 years and I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Anyone who sees such an animal in this area is urged to contact police at Dornoch on 01862 862222, or any police station.

In July north police warned walkers to take care following the sighting of a big cat “the size of a German shepherd dog” at woods at Inshriach near Kincraig, Kingussie.

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1896397?UserKey=#ixzz0ylKhrfwg

‘Panther’ sighted at caravan park

Warning after Sheriff sees black animal the size of labrador at Dornoch site where children play

Published: 01/09/2010

Police yesterday issued a warning to the public after an animal resembling a black panther was sighted in a Highland caravan park where children play.

The public are advised not to approach the animal if they come across it and report any sightings to their nearest police station as soon as possible.

The Saturday sighting at Dornoch Caravan Park was the second time a member of the public had spotted such a creature in one week.

The sighting was made by Sheriff Donald Booker-Milburn, now retired, who was driving home to Clashmore after exercising his Irish setter Finn at Dornoch beach, and was on the narrow road that passes the caravan park.

He said: “Suddenly this lovely, sleek animal dashes across our bows from right to left and I thought ‘that’s not a pussy cat.’

“It was far too big, I would say about the size of a six-month-old labrador. The way it moved, too, convinced me it was some type of panther.

“The dog’s eyes were out on organ stalks, and I told him ‘that’s not for you.’

“I used to poo-poo these sightings, but not any more. I am convinced what I saw was a black panther. From its condition it was obviously living well.”

Sheriff Booker-Milburn added: “My wife said I should report it to the police because there are children around that area.”

The earlier sighting was at the Tain bombing range by range warden Ray Paton on August 26. At 6.30am, Mr Paton was completing his usual duties of driving around the range, checking it was safe and the targets were clear, when the creature appeared in front of him.

Mr Paton said: “It was a big black cat, about 4ft and, as soon as it saw me, it dashed off. I tried to follow it but decided to return to the building and phone the police.”

After the incident, Mr Paton spoke to one of the farmers who own land surrounding the range and he said they had discovered a dead sheep the week before that looked as if it had been savaged by something.

Mr Paton added: “He said it looked like the sheep’s face and throat had been eaten.

“I’ve worked at this base for 30 years and I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Anyone who sees such an animal in this area is urged to contact police at Dornoch on 01862 862222, or any police station.

In July north police warned walkers to take care following the sighting of a big cat “the size of a German shepherd dog” at woods at Inshriach near Kincraig, Kingussie.

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1896397?UserKey=#ixzz0ylKhrfwg

On the hunt for the big cat that refuses to die

RIGHT: Is this the fabled feline?

June 20, 2010

Exotic feline or enduring phantom? Something big, something strange has been stalking the Blue Mountains for decades and it's back in the spotlight, Eamonn Duff reports.

PAUL CAUCHI and his girlfriend Naomi were in a celebratory mood.

The couple had just signed the paperwork for their new home near Mudgee but that's not why they will remember May 28, 2010.

''We were driving through Yarrawonga and Naomi saw it first,'' explained Mr Cauchi.

'''Look,' she said, 'Can you see that? … It's … it's a panther!'

''And the moment I saw it, I swore out loud in disbelief - because that's exactly what it was.''

The couple had ''a perfect seven- or eight-second view'' of the creature standing in front of them, outside a goat farm.

''I'd heard the stories but never believed a word of it,'' said Mr Cauchi. ''I've seen how big feral bush cats grow, but this was no feral cat. There is no mistaking, this was a panther. Now I'm thinking, how has this remained in doubt for so long?''

NSW Minister for Primary Industries Steve Whan said he had been made aware of four other possible sighting of the ''panther'' this year.

"The state government takes all reports of alleged black cat sightings seriously,'' Mr Whan said.

Rumours have circulated for decades about a colony of panther-like cats roaming Sydney's western fringes and beyond: from Lithgow to Mudgee and the Hawkesbury to the Hunter Valley. While witnesses are routinely ridiculed, a new book published today presents a compelling argument that the creatures are more than simply folklore.

Mike Williams, co-author of Australian Big Cats - An Unnatural History of Panthers, said: ''I cannot tell you with any certainty what species of cat this is but there is no doubting it is out there. It's an extremely large feline that does not appear to be native to Australia.''

Chris Coffey, of Grose Vale, a hamlet at the foot of the Blue Mountains, saw it twice in the late 1980s. Since then, proving its existence has become an obsession. She has collected more than 450 statements from tourists, bushwalkers and locals including a NSW police officer, a Qantas pilot and a retired magistrate.

Mrs Coffey said: ''National Parks and Wildlife know it exists, because their own staff have seen it. The NSW government is aware it's here because their own reports conclude that. [But] due to negative media coverage, the current public perception is that we're all a bunch of idiots.''

The case took a twist in 2001 when a freedom-of-information request unearthed a series of confidential government documents that proved wildlife authorities were so concerned about the big cat and the danger to humans, they commissioned an ''expert'' to catch it.

The three-day hunt later failed, but ecologist Johannes J. Bauer warned: ''Difficult as it seems to accept, the most likely explanation is the presence of a large, feline predator. In this area, [it is] most likely a leopard, less likely a jaguar.''

In the years that followed, sightings continued to pour in. In 2003, Hawkesbury Council released a detailed map of sightings and livestock attacks, pinpointing Grose Vale, Grose Wold, Londonderry, Yarramundi, Bowen Mountain, Kurrajong, East Kurrajong, Colo, Agnes Banks, Windsor Downs, Ebenezer, and the Macdonald Valley.

The state government commissioned a second study in 2008. Fuelling cover-up claims, an FOI request later revealed two versions of the report, the latter heavily edited for public consumption - and stripped of its final conclusion which stated: ''It seems more likely than not on available evidence that such animals do exist in NSW.''

But sceptics continue to dismiss the creature as an urban myth. To date, there remains no solid proof, not a single photo that demonstrates that the exotic big cat is real.

Mrs Coffey remains convinced that evidence will emerge sooner rather than later - based on witness accounts, the creature is increasingly being spotted out in the open, and closer to humans.

Mr Williams, meanwhile, looks to the day when an opportunity arises to pinpoint the creature's origin. ''If these things were just leopards, we'd be losing bushwalkers left, right and centre - so that leaves us with something else. It has taken large livestock over the years and the fear is that one day a child could end up in the wrong place at the wrong time.''

According to Mrs Coffey's database, there have been several close calls. In August 2008, Brianna Lloyd, 11, and Burgundie Cartan, 12, were holidaying at Wisemans Ferry. Disobeying family instructions, the girls set off exploring a remote section of the park, then came face to face with a large black cat that sprang down from a tree in front of them.

"We heard all this crunching and then a big black thing dropped out of the tree with something [a dead duck] in its mouth, so we ran … it was hunched down like it was going to jump at us," Brianna said of the incident.

"It made a horrible growling noise. It was bigger than a labrador - it was a really big cat."

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/on-the-hunt-for-the-big-cat-that-refuses-to-die-20100619-ynw2.html
(Submitted by Chad Arment)

Panther spotted in Natchez?

RIGHT: A paw print of what Keith Mason believes to be a black panther was found in Mason’s garden on Cindy Lane. Photo by Ben Hillyer.

By Jennifer Edwards | The Natchez Democrat
Published Friday, May 14, 2010

NATCHEZ — Keith Mason saw something Wednesday night he’s never seen before.

Mason spotted what he believes to be a black panther less than 50 yards from the back of his Cindy Lane house, located just off U.S. 61 North in Natchez.

“He was about three or four feet long, maybe 40 or so pounds with a big, long tail,” he said. “He was jet black. I shined my flashlight out there on him and he took off.”

The cat left tracks and an impression of its long tail in the muddy rows of Mason’s garden.

“I had flooded it just a couple of days ago so it was still wet,” he said of his garden. “I’m glad it was wet or we wouldn’t have any signs of that cat being around here.”

The cat, Mason said, was sitting at the edge of his backyard garden, and Mason doesn’t believe Wednesday night’s visit was the first for this large cat.

“My neighbor saw him a few days ago while he was watering his garden,” Mason said. “Then the cat was sitting out in that clearing just crouched down like he had his eyes on something.”

Mason said the large wild cat might also be to blame for killing his neighbor’s house cat and leaving behind little of the feline.

“All that was left was one hind-quarter,” Mason said. “He must have gotten spooked by something and run off.”

Mason called the Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Wednesday night and an agent came to his house Thursday afternoon to view and take pictures of the evidence left behind by the cat.

Those pictures were forwarded to wildlife biologist in the Jackson office of the department.

Mason’s sighting was not the first reported sighting of a large, black wild cat in the U.S. 61 North area.

Steve Kirkland reported seeing a large black cat across a ditch on the back side of the Adams County Christian School property.

Kirkland, a maintenance worker at the school, said the cat he saw was about three feet tall, from the ground to the top of its back.

Mason said the property around his house is just a short distance from ACCS through a wooded area and across a creek.

While Mason hopes the cat can be trapped and released in an area away from residences, he isn’t afraid of the cat he saw.

“He’s just as afraid of us as we are of him,” Mason said. “He isn’t going to do anything to a person, but an animal isn’t going to be as lucky.”

http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/2010/may/14/panther-spotted-natchez/
(Submitted by Chad Arment)

Sightings of big cats 'are not a myth' (via Paul Cropper)

Sightings of big cats 'are not a myth'
15 April 2010
The Dartford Messenger

A KENT big cat expert has got his claws into a group which claims sightings are a myth. What's raised Neil Arnold's hackles is a statement from organisation Natural England that all big cats in the UK are a myth.
But Mr Arnold, who collates sightings from all over the county, said in March alone Kent Big Cat Research has had 27 reports of large, exotic cats which added up to 73 reports so far this year.


Mr Arnold said: "A majority of animals sighted in the countryside are not connected to zoo escapees as the organisation states. Hundreds of pumas and leopards, mainly cubs, were released in the 1960s and 1970s and what we are now seeing are their offspring."


* For more information or to report a sighting, call 07851 602 853.

Vet backs Dorset big cat reports

8:48am Saturday 23rd January 2010
By Joanna Davis

THE verdict is in – Dorset’s big cat mystery could be more than just a tall tail.

Recent sightings have been reported of a black panther-like creature prowling the countryside.

A lamb killed at a Bockhampton farm is said to have been savaged by a big cat.

Vet Duncan Reavell has looked at a picture of a deer thought to have been killed by the predator dubbed the ‘Beast of Bockhampton’ and thinks a big cat could be responsible.

The picture was taken by reader Judy Paterson.

RSPCA shop worker Judy came across a carcass while walking her dog at Conygar Hill near Dorchester.

Shocked by what she saw, Judy took a picture of the dead animal.

Judy, of Dorchester, said: “We were walking down a track when my dog Jez started to behave strangely, sniffing the air. We could see a fairly young deer on the ground with its throat missing.

“It was at about 10am and had happened quite recently because the deer was floppy and rigor mortis hadn’t set in.”

Mr Reavell, of Poundbury-based Lynwood Vets, said a big cat attack on the deer is likely because there is no evidence of a fox or dog doing the damage.

He said: “This is intriguing. There would be a huge amount of blood if the deer had been killed in that spot.

“This deer would have been killed somewhere else and dragged and moved to this location.

“It would have to be a jolly big animal to have done that and a dog wouldn’t have been capable.

“Only part of the deer has been eaten and it’s quite likely that the predator was disturbed.”

Readers have also reported sightings of the big cat as far back as 2005.

Bus driver Hugh Baldwin, 72, of Dorchester, said he has no doubt that the creature he saw on a November night while fishing in Crossways was the big cat.

He said: “I was fishing at the Warmwell centre when I saw the big cat for a very long time.

“It walked right across the path between the road for two or three minutes.

“It was a wonderful sight. It was walking along as though it knew where it was going and seemed quite relaxed.”

Mr Baldwin said he is pleased that more big cat sightings have been reported.

He said: “At the time people thought we were a bit round the bend.

“I’ve never doubted the existence of the big cat.”

Dorset Echo - http://networkedblogs.com/p25345279
(Submitted by Mark North)

Dorset big cat - more close encounters

7:30am Thursday 21st January 2010
By Joanna Davis

A STRATTON resident was left shaken when he spotted what he thought was a big cat running across the road.

Julian Foster said he ‘jumped out of his skin’ when he saw the animal run into a hedge close to Poundbury.

The 51-year-old said he saw the back end of a ‘very large, jet black cat that was like a panther’ at dusk last month.

He said: “It scared me when I realised what it was.

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

“Its body was very long and it had a really long tail that I noticed as it was going into the hedge.”

Former delivery driver Mr Foster was on his way to see his mum in Bradford Peverell and said he was in Tilly Whim Lane, near to the Friary Press in Bridport Road when he saw the creature.

“It wasn’t very far from the houses. It seemed to go off in the direction of some woods.”

Meanwhile, Bockhampton resident Jackie Henville thinks she had an encounter with the ‘beast’ when she was out walking her dogs recently.

She put her dog Lily on the lead after she saw what appeared to be a big cat while walking through the forest in Puddletown near Hardy’s Cottage. She said: “It gave me a funny feeling. The cat was less than 150 yards away, very dark in colour. It was about the same size as a large dog but wasn’t moving like a dog.

“It was slinking along, almost hugging the ground.”

Jackie said she saw a deer carcass up a tree in the same area around three years ago.

“I spoke about it to my brother about it who lives in Africa. He said that was how big cats eat their prey.”

And RSPCA shop worker Judy Paterson thinks that a big cat attacked and killed a deer after she came across a carcass while walking her dog at Conygar Hill near Dorchester.

Judy, of Dorchester, said: “We were walking down a track when my dog Jez started to behave strangely.

“We could see a fairly young deer on the ground with its throat missing.

“It had obviously happened quite recently.”

Dorset Echo - http://networkedblogs.com/p25345280
(Submitted by Mark North)