Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel
January 21, 2012
DAVIE —
A wild cat a Davie couple say they spotted in their backyard more than a week ago has some residents on edge.
Local trapper Robert Leach has set up a cage on the property, hoping to capture the animal.
Mayor Judy Paul suspects it may be a bobcat, not a black panther as reported by the resident.
"Call it what you want," said Sheldon Friedberg, who called police on Jan. 14 after his wife spotted what she called a black panther pawing at her cat.
Friedberg said his wife went outside that night to shoo away what she thought was a black dog.
"It wasn't a dog," said Friedberg, who lives in the 6100 block of Southwest 56th Street, northeast of Stirling and Davie Roads. "It had 4-inch fangs. And it's not a bobcat. When it opened its mouth it's like something you see in the movies."
Friedberg said the family cat survived the attack.
He and his wife had seen the animal before, but thought it was a neighbor's oversized cat, he said.
His wife, who appeared recently on a TV news report on WSVN-Ch. 7, declined to comment.
"I can tell you this," Friedberg said. "It's a gigantic cat. It's out there. They still haven't caught it."
Mark McCarthy, who runs a wildlife sanctuary in The Acreage in Palm Beach County, said he doubts the animal that the Friedbergs say is prowling around their property is a black panther.
"A lot of people don't know one cat from another," he said. "People call and tell me they hit a jaguar and I go out and it's a bobcat. Maybe it was a bobcat or cougar and it got in the mud."
The mayor also had doubts.
"We've got bobcats and they're sometimes dark," Paul said. "We have had coyote sightings out west. Where would a black panther have come from?"
Davie Police Capt. Dale Engle had this advice for anyone who spots the animal: Call 911.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/fl-panther-davie-folo-20120121,0,1729294.story
Showing posts with label black panther. Show all posts
Showing posts with label black panther. Show all posts
Monday, January 23, 2012
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Italy: More on the black panther
Tuscany Trembling over Big Cat
Phantom Panther Gives Italians Paws for Thought
Hans-Jürgen Schlamp in Massa Marittima, Italy
08/17/2011
A large black cat believed to be a panther is stalking the fields and forests of southern Tuscany, striking fear into residents and holidaymakers. Hunters have angered animal rights campaigners by offering to kill it, but the debate is academic -- "Bagheera" is running rings around its pursuers.
The blissfully peaceful rhythm of life in the olive groves and forests of southern Tuscany has been rudely disrupted this month by repeated sightings of a large black beast around the medieval Tuscan village of Prata, a few kilometers from the tourist center of Massa Marittima.
"Until now, we looked out for vipers on the ground when we walked around outside," said Antonella Boddi, a local farmer. "These days we're looking up first, into the trees." That's where the animal -- believed to be a panther -- might be lurking.
Dozens of police, forestry workers and wildlife experts have descended on this beautiful, sparsely populated region to track down the elusive predator. They have attached warning notices to trees instructing people how to behave if they encounter it. Officials decided last week that it should be caught alive. But no one knows how to do that.
It's unclear who saw the panther first. In early August, Riccardo Pini, who owns a holiday home nearby, told people in the village that he had seen a large black cat twice in five days and that it was "quite obviously a black panther." He said he saw it clearly and for a long time. Pini runs a business near Florence. He bought his summer retreat here back in 1974.
He had been planning to retire here in a few years, but he's no longer quite so sure about that. Pini refuses to set foot in Prata. The villagers accused him of lying. Some said he just wanted the planned village festival to be cancelled. Others claimed he wanted to keep mushroom gatherers out of the woods so that he could keep more for himself. Pini, furious at the accusations, says he'll keep quiet in future, "even if I see a herd of elephants."
But then, Bruno Sani, the father of a member of parliament no less, reported that he was missing two sheep, two goats and two piglets. Droppings and paw prints indicated that a large cat was the culprit. Further panther spotters came forward. The authorities took over the case. And shortly afterwards, two forestry workers saw and photographed the predator.
'This Moment Seemed Endless'They said the beast had been lying in a meadow, looking quite relaxed. When they took a few steps towards it, the animal stood up and looked at them. "This moment seemed endless," the brave duo told a reporter from the local newspaper, Corriere di Maremma.
Further "moments of panic and indecision" followed before the sinister beast finally turned away and slowly padded off into the forest. The photo shows a black blotch whose outlines resemble an animal. But the men have "no doubt that it was a panther."
Since then, local papers have been carrying daily stories about the hunt for "Bagheera," named after the friendly panther from Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book." The locals find the beast a tad less cuddly, however. They're afraid. Most of the buildings have no fences, and terraces and gardens open out onto meadows, bushes and woods. Evening life takes place outdoors around here. At least, it used to.
Authorities have mounted a show of force, to impress the locals. One vehicle, sometimes two, stands parked on the only hard-top road leading into the wooded hills south of Prata, to remind locals to take care and to keep strangers out. The officers don't tend to venture out of the cars. And when it gets dark, they drive home. No patrols have been sighted on the narrow, dark forest paths leading to the farms or holiday homes, not even in daylight.
Daring PursuersSometimes a daring armed squad equipped with strong lamps on the roof of their vehicle drives up to houses along the street and reminds residents to remain in their homes and to keep their pets indoors. And to call them, or better still the local vet, if the beast makes an appearance. The vet has a tranquilizer gun -- but it usually takes him two hours to arrive. People have also been told to give the cage traps that have been set up a wide berth, because it may scare off the cat.
But still the panther remains at large. He or she has an abundance of deer, wild boar, rabbits and other fresh livestock at his or her disposal in the wild. And there is no shortage of sheep in the fields.
And if the cat was ever tempted to sniff around the cages, it would probably change its mind because forestry workers and police officers tend to whistle, shout and bang the bars with metal rods whenever they exchange the bait -- to make themselves feel a little safer while they're going about their dangerous work.
Automatic cameras have been positioned along narrow paths to find out what routes the animal takes. Panthers, experts say, wander up to 10 kilometers a night. Which presumably renders a photo from the previous night pretty useless.
What is to be done? Hunters say the dangerous animal should be driven out of the forest by beaters, and killed. Farmers say "give us guns, we'll take care of it." But animal welfare groups are up in arms at the suggestion, and have reminded the people of Prata that panthers are a protected species. They won't even accept putting out live bait such as chickens or rabbits.
Memories of BrunoThe controversy echoes the tale of Bruno the brown bear who wandered into Germany from Austria and eluded hunters for weeks, gorging himself on live sheep and honey, until he was shot dead, to the dismay of his many fans.
The police would rather just leave. After all, the chances of catching the cat seem pretty remote.
A vague hope remains: that Bagheera's former owner might return to pick up his pet. Police have made enquiries with every circus and every zoo for miles around to see if anyone is missing a panther. No one is. Officials assume that some rich show-off had a panther cub and got rid of it when it grew too big. Experts say that if the owner came back, the beast might just hop back in its cage.
The former owner may be pretty stupid. But he's unlikely to be so stupid to show his face round here to be greeted by police and a hefty fine.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,780798,00.html
Phantom Panther Gives Italians Paws for Thought
Hans-Jürgen Schlamp in Massa Marittima, Italy
08/17/2011
A large black cat believed to be a panther is stalking the fields and forests of southern Tuscany, striking fear into residents and holidaymakers. Hunters have angered animal rights campaigners by offering to kill it, but the debate is academic -- "Bagheera" is running rings around its pursuers.
The blissfully peaceful rhythm of life in the olive groves and forests of southern Tuscany has been rudely disrupted this month by repeated sightings of a large black beast around the medieval Tuscan village of Prata, a few kilometers from the tourist center of Massa Marittima.
"Until now, we looked out for vipers on the ground when we walked around outside," said Antonella Boddi, a local farmer. "These days we're looking up first, into the trees." That's where the animal -- believed to be a panther -- might be lurking.
Dozens of police, forestry workers and wildlife experts have descended on this beautiful, sparsely populated region to track down the elusive predator. They have attached warning notices to trees instructing people how to behave if they encounter it. Officials decided last week that it should be caught alive. But no one knows how to do that.
It's unclear who saw the panther first. In early August, Riccardo Pini, who owns a holiday home nearby, told people in the village that he had seen a large black cat twice in five days and that it was "quite obviously a black panther." He said he saw it clearly and for a long time. Pini runs a business near Florence. He bought his summer retreat here back in 1974.
He had been planning to retire here in a few years, but he's no longer quite so sure about that. Pini refuses to set foot in Prata. The villagers accused him of lying. Some said he just wanted the planned village festival to be cancelled. Others claimed he wanted to keep mushroom gatherers out of the woods so that he could keep more for himself. Pini, furious at the accusations, says he'll keep quiet in future, "even if I see a herd of elephants."
But then, Bruno Sani, the father of a member of parliament no less, reported that he was missing two sheep, two goats and two piglets. Droppings and paw prints indicated that a large cat was the culprit. Further panther spotters came forward. The authorities took over the case. And shortly afterwards, two forestry workers saw and photographed the predator.
'This Moment Seemed Endless'They said the beast had been lying in a meadow, looking quite relaxed. When they took a few steps towards it, the animal stood up and looked at them. "This moment seemed endless," the brave duo told a reporter from the local newspaper, Corriere di Maremma.
Further "moments of panic and indecision" followed before the sinister beast finally turned away and slowly padded off into the forest. The photo shows a black blotch whose outlines resemble an animal. But the men have "no doubt that it was a panther."
Since then, local papers have been carrying daily stories about the hunt for "Bagheera," named after the friendly panther from Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book." The locals find the beast a tad less cuddly, however. They're afraid. Most of the buildings have no fences, and terraces and gardens open out onto meadows, bushes and woods. Evening life takes place outdoors around here. At least, it used to.
Authorities have mounted a show of force, to impress the locals. One vehicle, sometimes two, stands parked on the only hard-top road leading into the wooded hills south of Prata, to remind locals to take care and to keep strangers out. The officers don't tend to venture out of the cars. And when it gets dark, they drive home. No patrols have been sighted on the narrow, dark forest paths leading to the farms or holiday homes, not even in daylight.
Daring PursuersSometimes a daring armed squad equipped with strong lamps on the roof of their vehicle drives up to houses along the street and reminds residents to remain in their homes and to keep their pets indoors. And to call them, or better still the local vet, if the beast makes an appearance. The vet has a tranquilizer gun -- but it usually takes him two hours to arrive. People have also been told to give the cage traps that have been set up a wide berth, because it may scare off the cat.
But still the panther remains at large. He or she has an abundance of deer, wild boar, rabbits and other fresh livestock at his or her disposal in the wild. And there is no shortage of sheep in the fields.
And if the cat was ever tempted to sniff around the cages, it would probably change its mind because forestry workers and police officers tend to whistle, shout and bang the bars with metal rods whenever they exchange the bait -- to make themselves feel a little safer while they're going about their dangerous work.
Automatic cameras have been positioned along narrow paths to find out what routes the animal takes. Panthers, experts say, wander up to 10 kilometers a night. Which presumably renders a photo from the previous night pretty useless.
What is to be done? Hunters say the dangerous animal should be driven out of the forest by beaters, and killed. Farmers say "give us guns, we'll take care of it." But animal welfare groups are up in arms at the suggestion, and have reminded the people of Prata that panthers are a protected species. They won't even accept putting out live bait such as chickens or rabbits.
Memories of BrunoThe controversy echoes the tale of Bruno the brown bear who wandered into Germany from Austria and eluded hunters for weeks, gorging himself on live sheep and honey, until he was shot dead, to the dismay of his many fans.
The police would rather just leave. After all, the chances of catching the cat seem pretty remote.
A vague hope remains: that Bagheera's former owner might return to pick up his pet. Police have made enquiries with every circus and every zoo for miles around to see if anyone is missing a panther. No one is. Officials assume that some rich show-off had a panther cub and got rid of it when it grew too big. Experts say that if the owner came back, the beast might just hop back in its cage.
The former owner may be pretty stupid. But he's unlikely to be so stupid to show his face round here to be greeted by police and a hefty fine.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,780798,00.html
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Italy: Panther sighting (via Chad Arment)
Massa Marittima, Italy - Italian wildlife wardens were on Monday scouring the Tuscan countryside near Massa Marittima for a panther spotted in the area over the weekend.
Reported sightings by locals of the big cat were initially dismissed by officials, until Sunday when a patrol of the state forestry corps came upon the animal while it was sleeping in a shaded hillside embankment.
'I estimate (the panther) to be around 1.3 metres in length and to weigh around 70 kilograms. It is certainly young and healthy and appears to be well-fed,' said Salvatore Foti, one of the forestry guards.
The panther roused by the movement of the guards - one of whom managed to snap a blurry photograph - disappeared into the thick vegetation nearby.
Officials later advised residents in Prata, a small settlement on the outskirts of Massa Marittima, to stay indoors.
Wardens intend to sedate the panther and take it to a nearby animal centre.
Experts believe the animal may have been smuggled into Italy as a cub and then abandoned.
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1655632.php/Search-is-on-for-Tuscan-panther
Reported sightings by locals of the big cat were initially dismissed by officials, until Sunday when a patrol of the state forestry corps came upon the animal while it was sleeping in a shaded hillside embankment.
'I estimate (the panther) to be around 1.3 metres in length and to weigh around 70 kilograms. It is certainly young and healthy and appears to be well-fed,' said Salvatore Foti, one of the forestry guards.
The panther roused by the movement of the guards - one of whom managed to snap a blurry photograph - disappeared into the thick vegetation nearby.
Officials later advised residents in Prata, a small settlement on the outskirts of Massa Marittima, to stay indoors.
Wardens intend to sedate the panther and take it to a nearby animal centre.
Experts believe the animal may have been smuggled into Italy as a cub and then abandoned.
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1655632.php/Search-is-on-for-Tuscan-panther
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Leopard sightings confirmed near Dayton
Leopard sightings confirmed near Dayton
By Dave Larsen and Steve Bennish
Staff Writers
Updated 9:19 AM Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Local animal control officials on Monday confirmed three sightings earlier this year of a black leopard, but said the public shouldn't panic.The leopard hasn't been seen since April, said Tim Harrison, director of Outreach for Animals, a local nonprofit dedicated to educating the public on the dangers of owning exotic animals.Maj. Dave Hale of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said two sightings were around the Stillwater River and Frederick Pike. No one has reported a pet leopard missing to the sheriff's office, he said, and the animal — if it is real — could be well out of the area by now.Investigators from Outreach for Animals and the Humane Society of Greater Dayton searched the area three times with infrared cameras and haven't seen so much as a paw print in nearly two months.
"This cat is most likely back with his owners," Harrison said.A black leopard averages in size from 60 to 100 pounds. One witness said it was bigger than a black Labrador Retriever, with a long bushy tail.A number of people in the Dayton area own leopards and African lions, said Harrison, a retired Oakwood police officer. "They do get out every once in a while," he said.Ohio is one of less than 10 states that don't regulate ownership of wild animals, according to the U.S. Humane Society. Regulations are now under study by Gov. Kasich's administration.Harrison said owning an exotic animal is like having a "time bomb" that could go off at any time, even in its owner's home."
If you see something like this please do not run, because that triggers a natural instinct in the cat to chase you and knock you down," Harrison said.The Daily, an iPad news app, published an article Monday on the leopard saying the animal was prowling streets and parks. "(The article) shouldn't have been done the way it was," Harrison said.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/leopard-sightings-confirmed-near-dayton-1205078.html
By Dave Larsen and Steve Bennish
Staff Writers
Updated 9:19 AM Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Local animal control officials on Monday confirmed three sightings earlier this year of a black leopard, but said the public shouldn't panic.The leopard hasn't been seen since April, said Tim Harrison, director of Outreach for Animals, a local nonprofit dedicated to educating the public on the dangers of owning exotic animals.Maj. Dave Hale of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said two sightings were around the Stillwater River and Frederick Pike. No one has reported a pet leopard missing to the sheriff's office, he said, and the animal — if it is real — could be well out of the area by now.Investigators from Outreach for Animals and the Humane Society of Greater Dayton searched the area three times with infrared cameras and haven't seen so much as a paw print in nearly two months.
"This cat is most likely back with his owners," Harrison said.A black leopard averages in size from 60 to 100 pounds. One witness said it was bigger than a black Labrador Retriever, with a long bushy tail.A number of people in the Dayton area own leopards and African lions, said Harrison, a retired Oakwood police officer. "They do get out every once in a while," he said.Ohio is one of less than 10 states that don't regulate ownership of wild animals, according to the U.S. Humane Society. Regulations are now under study by Gov. Kasich's administration.Harrison said owning an exotic animal is like having a "time bomb" that could go off at any time, even in its owner's home."
If you see something like this please do not run, because that triggers a natural instinct in the cat to chase you and knock you down," Harrison said.The Daily, an iPad news app, published an article Monday on the leopard saying the animal was prowling streets and parks. "(The article) shouldn't have been done the way it was," Harrison said.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/leopard-sightings-confirmed-near-dayton-1205078.html
Monday, May 23, 2011
Forget Nessie... big cat is stalking locals
Spooked Loch Ness locals are being terrorized by a new monster - a giant cat that has savaged farm animals and pets, thesun.co.uk reported Saturday.
People living on the banks of the famous lake have urged police to hunt down the black beast amid fears it could attack and even kill a child, the report said.
The big cat has been spotted prowling in hills and around homes, and is thought to be behind maulings of a dog and a lamb.
Katrina Wallace is too afraid to let her three young kids outside at night after hubby Jim glimpsed the animal outside their home by the loch south of Inverness.
The mum, of Bunloit, said: "We have two black labradors and he thought it was one of those but then realized they were inside," according to the Sun.
She has taken photos of the body of a badly mauled lamb that had a large puncture wound on the back of its neck.
One of the family dogs was also attacked ― by something large enough to try to haul the labrador away. Terrified Katrina, 38, said: "The vet said it could only get an injury like that if it had been dragged," the newspaper said.
Highland Councillor Margaret Davidson said: "I believe this is a public safety issue. The police need to take this seriously."
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/05/182_87484.html
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
‘Carrabelle Cat' hunt planned in Tate's Hell
May 15, 2011 11:36 AM
Lois Swoboda
On May 5, Carrabelle’s commission voted unanimously to invite an expedition to search the forest north of the city for a large black cat rumored to roam there.
The mission will be headed by cryptozoologist Scott Marlowe, who has visited the area several times seeking information about the mysterious “Carrabelle Cat.”
Marlowe said, to his knowledge, this is the first time a government entity in the Western Hemisphere has invited a group of cryptozoologists to do an investigation.
In a telephone interview, Marlowe said he expects over 30 researchers to participate in the search, slated for March 2-4, 2012, and open to the public for a fee. He said participants in the expedition will likely camp during their stay.
In addition to Marlowe, monster hunters who have agreed to attend include Ken Gerhard, of San Antonio, Texas, known for his investigations of “Bigfoot” and the “Thunderbird,” thought by some to be a surviving pterodactyl. Gerhard, featured in the popular TV series “Monsterquest” and “Weird Travels,” is founder of the “Cryptid Seekers,” a service that offers safaris to sites where Bigfoot, lake monsters and other cryptids reportedly have been seen.
Also slated to attend is Joedy Cook, of Ohio, cofounder of Cryptid Seekers and founder of the Ohio Center for Bigfoot Studies. He has authored several books, including three on Bigfoot, two on strange hominids, and one each on werewolves, “Cryptid Ohio,’ and winged entities like the “Mothman” and the “Jersey Devil.” Also planning to attend are Raven Meindel and daughter Jessica Dorow, a guide team for the Cryptid Seekers.
Attending will be New Orleans’ Lee Hales, a naturalist, presenter and science educator who has worked as a zoologist, animal handler, private guide and field naturalist.
Expected to take part is Lisa Wojcik, Florida’s self-proclaimed resident expert on the elusive jaguarondi, believed by some to haunt a corridor from St. Petersburg to the Panhandle, although no evidence of a population in Florida has been collected.
In a telephone interview, Meindel said she was excited about the expedition and pleased to be asked. She said the Cryptid Seekers will be heading to Point Pleasant, West Virginia in June to search for the Mothman, a legendary man-sized creature with large reflective red eyes and large wings. The creature was sometimes reported as having no head, with its eyes set into its chest. The creature, last reported being seen in the 1960s, was the subject of “The Mothman Prophecies,” starring Richard Gere.
Meindel began her career in cryptozoology in 2004 but said her interest dates back to a fleeting glimpse of Bigfoot while playing hide-and-seek at the age of 12.
Jim Broaddus, owner of the Bear Creek Feline Center, a refuge and educational center for big cats in Panama City, plans to bring along “Saint,” a young Florida panther from the feline center, and a jaguarundi he recently acquired from Czechoslovakia. Marlowe said the two cats will be used to mark the investigation area with urine in an effort to attract the Carrabelle Cat.
He said no live bait animals will be used to lure the cat into view, although if the cat turns out to be a jaguarundi, dead fowl will probably be used to bait no-kill traps.
Marlowe said a new trap designed by Wojcik will be tested for the first time during the search. He described it as a sticky trap for large mammals that would painlessly capture some hair follicles to sample the cat’s DNA.
The goal of the expedition is to capture the cat and identify it, Marlowe said, and if it is non-native, transport it to a safe home. If it is native, it will be released back into the swamp unharmed. “I don’t believe in killing anything,” he said..
In addition to boots-on-the-ground exploration, Marlowe, Broadus, Wojcik, Gearhard and Meindel will each give a lecture on the possible identity of the cat during the deployment. Marlowe said he is negotiating with two producers about filming the expedition.
He said he is working with Florida Keys Community College, where he teaches, to make a course practicum for which students can get credit. If approved, the course will be available for credit to students from other community colleges.
Marlowe plans to deploy FLIR (Forward looking infrared) equipment, which allows the user to see heat generated by a body, as well as regular cameras to locate the Carrabelle Cat and document it. He said, on his last trip to the area, he found a dead coyote he believes was eaten by a big cat.
Carrabelle City Commissioner Cal Allen, who made the motion to invite the expedition, said he photographed and took plaster casts of big cat tracks in the same area as the coyote.
Marlowe said he recently received pictures and accounts of dog/coyote hybrids in the area. He said these are mixed dogs, and not the vicious chupacabras, believed to suck goat blood.
Marlowe recently published “Mystery Animals of Florida.” a book on his search for mysterious animals. The book was published by Great Britain’s CFZ Press, a branch of the Center of Fortean Zoology, a group that launches missions to locate mysterious and legendary animals. Marlowe said he expects the center to partner with him on a future expedition to Tate’s Hell.
"Weird Florida: Roads Less Traveled," a television series that has featured Marlowe, received a TELLY Award last year from YouTube.
He said he is planning a mission to investigate “Skunk Apes” said to be living in the forests of northwest Florida.
http://www.apalachtimes.com/news/carrabelle-9465-planned-tate.html
Lois Swoboda
On May 5, Carrabelle’s commission voted unanimously to invite an expedition to search the forest north of the city for a large black cat rumored to roam there.
The mission will be headed by cryptozoologist Scott Marlowe, who has visited the area several times seeking information about the mysterious “Carrabelle Cat.”
Marlowe said, to his knowledge, this is the first time a government entity in the Western Hemisphere has invited a group of cryptozoologists to do an investigation.
In a telephone interview, Marlowe said he expects over 30 researchers to participate in the search, slated for March 2-4, 2012, and open to the public for a fee. He said participants in the expedition will likely camp during their stay.
In addition to Marlowe, monster hunters who have agreed to attend include Ken Gerhard, of San Antonio, Texas, known for his investigations of “Bigfoot” and the “Thunderbird,” thought by some to be a surviving pterodactyl. Gerhard, featured in the popular TV series “Monsterquest” and “Weird Travels,” is founder of the “Cryptid Seekers,” a service that offers safaris to sites where Bigfoot, lake monsters and other cryptids reportedly have been seen.
Also slated to attend is Joedy Cook, of Ohio, cofounder of Cryptid Seekers and founder of the Ohio Center for Bigfoot Studies. He has authored several books, including three on Bigfoot, two on strange hominids, and one each on werewolves, “Cryptid Ohio,’ and winged entities like the “Mothman” and the “Jersey Devil.” Also planning to attend are Raven Meindel and daughter Jessica Dorow, a guide team for the Cryptid Seekers.
Attending will be New Orleans’ Lee Hales, a naturalist, presenter and science educator who has worked as a zoologist, animal handler, private guide and field naturalist.
Expected to take part is Lisa Wojcik, Florida’s self-proclaimed resident expert on the elusive jaguarondi, believed by some to haunt a corridor from St. Petersburg to the Panhandle, although no evidence of a population in Florida has been collected.
In a telephone interview, Meindel said she was excited about the expedition and pleased to be asked. She said the Cryptid Seekers will be heading to Point Pleasant, West Virginia in June to search for the Mothman, a legendary man-sized creature with large reflective red eyes and large wings. The creature was sometimes reported as having no head, with its eyes set into its chest. The creature, last reported being seen in the 1960s, was the subject of “The Mothman Prophecies,” starring Richard Gere.
Meindel began her career in cryptozoology in 2004 but said her interest dates back to a fleeting glimpse of Bigfoot while playing hide-and-seek at the age of 12.
Jim Broaddus, owner of the Bear Creek Feline Center, a refuge and educational center for big cats in Panama City, plans to bring along “Saint,” a young Florida panther from the feline center, and a jaguarundi he recently acquired from Czechoslovakia. Marlowe said the two cats will be used to mark the investigation area with urine in an effort to attract the Carrabelle Cat.
He said no live bait animals will be used to lure the cat into view, although if the cat turns out to be a jaguarundi, dead fowl will probably be used to bait no-kill traps.
Marlowe said a new trap designed by Wojcik will be tested for the first time during the search. He described it as a sticky trap for large mammals that would painlessly capture some hair follicles to sample the cat’s DNA.
The goal of the expedition is to capture the cat and identify it, Marlowe said, and if it is non-native, transport it to a safe home. If it is native, it will be released back into the swamp unharmed. “I don’t believe in killing anything,” he said..
In addition to boots-on-the-ground exploration, Marlowe, Broadus, Wojcik, Gearhard and Meindel will each give a lecture on the possible identity of the cat during the deployment. Marlowe said he is negotiating with two producers about filming the expedition.
He said he is working with Florida Keys Community College, where he teaches, to make a course practicum for which students can get credit. If approved, the course will be available for credit to students from other community colleges.
Marlowe plans to deploy FLIR (Forward looking infrared) equipment, which allows the user to see heat generated by a body, as well as regular cameras to locate the Carrabelle Cat and document it. He said, on his last trip to the area, he found a dead coyote he believes was eaten by a big cat.
Carrabelle City Commissioner Cal Allen, who made the motion to invite the expedition, said he photographed and took plaster casts of big cat tracks in the same area as the coyote.
Marlowe said he recently received pictures and accounts of dog/coyote hybrids in the area. He said these are mixed dogs, and not the vicious chupacabras, believed to suck goat blood.
Marlowe recently published “Mystery Animals of Florida.” a book on his search for mysterious animals. The book was published by Great Britain’s CFZ Press, a branch of the Center of Fortean Zoology, a group that launches missions to locate mysterious and legendary animals. Marlowe said he expects the center to partner with him on a future expedition to Tate’s Hell.
"Weird Florida: Roads Less Traveled," a television series that has featured Marlowe, received a TELLY Award last year from YouTube.
He said he is planning a mission to investigate “Skunk Apes” said to be living in the forests of northwest Florida.
http://www.apalachtimes.com/news/carrabelle-9465-planned-tate.html
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Big cat spotted near dead deer in Moscow
May 13 2011 by David Wynn, Kilmarnock Standard
A DRIVER claims this stricken deer was savaged by a big cat.
Brian Menzies of Moscow said he was travelling home from work when he noticed a ‘large, black creature with glowing eyes’ by the side of the road.
He was then amazed to see that the beast had been chewing on a roe deer.
Brian, who works at Prestwick Airport, said: “I was coming home via the back road from New Farm Loch at just after midnight on Monday when I noticed something bright in the line of my headlights. As I got closer I realised it was a large, black cat and it was beside a roe deer.
“After I passed I went back to take a look and by this time the cat had gone but the injuries to the rear of the deer were clearly visible.
“What I couldn’t work out was how the deer had died. It didn’t look as though a car had hit it as the only injury was to the rear area where the big cat had been.
“I’m not one to usually believe in these things but I saw it with my own eyes and would be intrigued to know if anyone else saw anything at that time. It’s not a busy road but it is well used. I just wish I had my camera with me at the time.”
There have been several big cat sightings in Ayrshire over the years. The most recent one recorded was of a puma-like cat spotted near Midland Farm in Fenwick last summer.
Indeed, the area is such a hotspot that the annual big cat convention was held earlier this year at the Hunting Lodge in Kilmarnock.
The conference weekend include a vigil near Galston, where several big cats have been spotted.
Have you seen a big cat in the Ayrshire countryside? Get in touch by phone, e-mail or letter.
http://www.kilmarnockstandard.co.uk/ayrshire-news/news-east-ayrshire/kilmarnock-news/2011/05/13/big-cat-spotted-near-dead-deer-in-moscow-81430-28673851/
A DRIVER claims this stricken deer was savaged by a big cat.
Brian Menzies of Moscow said he was travelling home from work when he noticed a ‘large, black creature with glowing eyes’ by the side of the road.
He was then amazed to see that the beast had been chewing on a roe deer.
Brian, who works at Prestwick Airport, said: “I was coming home via the back road from New Farm Loch at just after midnight on Monday when I noticed something bright in the line of my headlights. As I got closer I realised it was a large, black cat and it was beside a roe deer.
“After I passed I went back to take a look and by this time the cat had gone but the injuries to the rear of the deer were clearly visible.
“What I couldn’t work out was how the deer had died. It didn’t look as though a car had hit it as the only injury was to the rear area where the big cat had been.
“I’m not one to usually believe in these things but I saw it with my own eyes and would be intrigued to know if anyone else saw anything at that time. It’s not a busy road but it is well used. I just wish I had my camera with me at the time.”
There have been several big cat sightings in Ayrshire over the years. The most recent one recorded was of a puma-like cat spotted near Midland Farm in Fenwick last summer.
Indeed, the area is such a hotspot that the annual big cat convention was held earlier this year at the Hunting Lodge in Kilmarnock.
The conference weekend include a vigil near Galston, where several big cats have been spotted.
Have you seen a big cat in the Ayrshire countryside? Get in touch by phone, e-mail or letter.
http://www.kilmarnockstandard.co.uk/ayrshire-news/news-east-ayrshire/kilmarnock-news/2011/05/13/big-cat-spotted-near-dead-deer-in-moscow-81430-28673851/
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Upstate Woman Says She Saw Black Panther
Paris Mountain Woman Says Big Cat Ran Up To Porch
POSTED: 12:27 pm EDT April 27, 2011
GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. -- A woman sitting on her Paris Mountain front porch enjoying the view said she came face to face with a black panther Tuesday night.
Black Panther Spotted
"I was just sitting here, and all of a sudden I looked and there it was on my front porch. It was big and muscular. I screamed. When I stood up it ran," said Katie Araujo.
"My grandfather told me stories," she said. "But I never believed him until now."
Araujo said, "I was so scared. I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't looked."
Paris Mountain park rangers said a black panther sighting is rare. They said they haven't had any reported sightings so far this year.
Officials said, to best of their knowledge, there are no black panthers on Paris Mountain.
Araujo said she understands the skepticism since before last night, she might not of believed it was possible either.
She said she just wants neighbors to beware and take precautions with pets and children.
We checked with Hollywild. David Meeks, executive director, said black panthers are not from North America.
"I'd be surprised if that's what she saw, but strange things happen," said Meeks.
Meeks said in the dark of night, the woman may have seen a cougar.
"A cougar could possibly live in our area and a cougar would do what she said it did," said Meeks.
http://www.wyff4.com/r/27689341/detail.html
POSTED: 12:27 pm EDT April 27, 2011
GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. -- A woman sitting on her Paris Mountain front porch enjoying the view said she came face to face with a black panther Tuesday night.
Black Panther Spotted"I was just sitting here, and all of a sudden I looked and there it was on my front porch. It was big and muscular. I screamed. When I stood up it ran," said Katie Araujo.
"My grandfather told me stories," she said. "But I never believed him until now."
Araujo said, "I was so scared. I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't looked."
Paris Mountain park rangers said a black panther sighting is rare. They said they haven't had any reported sightings so far this year.
Officials said, to best of their knowledge, there are no black panthers on Paris Mountain.
Araujo said she understands the skepticism since before last night, she might not of believed it was possible either.
She said she just wants neighbors to beware and take precautions with pets and children.
We checked with Hollywild. David Meeks, executive director, said black panthers are not from North America.
"I'd be surprised if that's what she saw, but strange things happen," said Meeks.
Meeks said in the dark of night, the woman may have seen a cougar.
"A cougar could possibly live in our area and a cougar would do what she said it did," said Meeks.
http://www.wyff4.com/r/27689341/detail.html
Town hunts for black panther preying on livestock
Joleen Chaney Reporting KFOR
5:47 p.m. CDT, April 26, 2011
POCASSET, Okla. -- Some Oklahomans are on the hunt for what they are calling a black panther or mountain lion that has been spotted near several homes.
The creature has been reportedly seen near Pocasset in rural Grady County.
"It was about half grown, had a tail about 4 feet long and it was solid black," witness Russell Dahl said.
It has become quite the talk of the town after a few recent run-ins with people, including Dahl's neighbor who had an encounter while on an evening jog.
"It liked to scare her to death," he said.
The animal is said to have been roaming the area for decades.
Dahl said he questioned the creature's existence when his son described his sighting, but he quickly became a believer.
"I said, 'You saw a coyote.' Well, the next day I saw it and it wasn't no coyote," he said.
Officials at the Oklahoma State Department of Wildlife say they've had a definite increase in the number of calls they've gotten from people who say they've seen big cats after a mountain lion was captured in Tulsa over the weekend.
"Sometimes I think they might be seeing a bobcat, maybe even coyotes, once in a while dogs," Game Warden Ron Comer said. "You can't always believe what your eyes are telling you."
The latest sightings in this rural little town haven't only given the locals a bit of a scare, but some say the cats have gone after their cattle and pets.
Whatever it is, experts say it could be one of a number of different animals.
"I never try to tell anybody that they didn't see what they thought they saw, but the melanistic gene does not exist in the mountain lion or the pumas or panthers or whatever you want to call the north American big cat," Comer said.
The melanistic gene increases an animals dark pigmentation, turning the animal black.
Within the past few years, new laws have allowed people to kill mountain lions or big cats if they feel threatened.
However, now there is no open season to hunt the animals and it is illegal to do so.
As for the cat caught in Tulsa, wildlife officials believe it was a caged pet that somehow escaped from someone who was not licensed to have it.
http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-news-hunt-for-panther-lion-prey-livestock-story,0,7227827.story
Grisly find as ‘big cat’ is caught on camera
 |
| The big cat pictured on camera near Embo |
Published: 29 April, 2011
A GRISLY find in Ross-shire and an intriguing image captured on camera has further fuelled speculation that a big cat is on the prowl.
The sighting of a large, cat-like beast stopped Tain sisters Lisa and Alana Sydenham in their tracks as they were out driving near Embo on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile on the Black Isle, the stripped-to-the-bone remains of a deer and large paw prints in the mud left another landowner pondering the possibility that a big cat is responsible.
The latest revelations follow last week’s exclusive Ross-shire Journal story in which Easter Ross farmer George Ross, of Rheguile Farm, spoke of the savaging of 18 of his sheep since the beginning of the year.
Lisa Sydenham (29), an administration and information technology student at Dornoch College, contacted the Journal yesterday after her sighting on Wednesday night. She had been driving with sister Alana (26) near Embo outside Dornoch when she caught sight of a large beast on the prowl.
Lisa, who snapped the black creature with the point-and-shoot digital camera she was carrying around 8.30pm on Wednesday night, told the Journal, “It was definitely not just a large domestic cat or dog.
“At first I thought it was a very large dog but from the way it was walking and the shape of its body I could tell that it was a big cat. It was quite a distance away over a field. My sister Alana and I were at first very surprised and then excited. I looked into it and found there had been another sighting in the area last September.
“It looked and moved like a cat.
“It spotted me and crouched down in the grass before walking off. We must have watched it for about five minutes in all.”
She speculated that changes in animal licensing laws some time ago had prompted the owners of some exotic animals to release them into the wild.
The Journal was also contacted yesterday by Black Isle-based Alison Kennedy, who lives near Culbokie. She stumbled across the remains of a deer on land she owns at Upper Braefindon on Monday night and is hoping for some expert analysis of distinctive paw prints found in the mud near the kill.
She told the Journal, “On returning to the spot on Tuesday there were signs that the carcass had been dragged further away and carried off, nothing remained but a severed leg. All other stories only show remains of savaged animals, but I have pictures of paw prints at the site of the attack and the very fresh, almost totally eaten carcass.
“I tried to get SAC vets to visit the site and confirm what might have killed the deer, but have had no response so far.
“If it was dogs, that in itself is very worrying, given the livestock in the area, but more so if it is a big cat.”
She said there were obvious signs of a struggle and the appearance that the deer had been dragged a significant distance during the apparent attack.
Chief Inspector Paul Eddington, who has several years’ experience as a police wildlife crime coordinator specialist under his belt, said there had been several very credible sightings of big cats in Ross-shire down the years.
He said too there had been several stories of exotic animals being released in the Highlands since the 1970s following changes in legislation surrounding what people are permitted to keep as pets.
There have also been documented instances of domesticated cats turning feral and breeding with wildcats.
Ch Insp Eddington also recalled the December 2008 report — first revealed by the Journal — of the attack on a 73-year-old Easter Ross woman convinced she had been mauled after disturbing a big cat near her home.
Pat McLeod, who lived in a remote cottage outside Alness, had required hospital treatment for cuts sustained in an attack the exact details of which remain a mystery. Police were sufficiently convinced to lay traps and issue a warning to the public to be vigilant.
Ch Insp Eddington said, “Anyone who sees something unusual is encouraged to contact us. There’s an issue of public safety to consider and also the wellbeing of any such creature. We have had a number of credible reports down the years and people can be assured they will always be taken at face value.”
(Link not supplied)
Friday, April 29, 2011
Town hunts for black panther preying on livestock
Joleen Chaney
Reporting KFOR
5:47 p.m. CDT, April 26, 2011
POCASSET, Okla. -- Some Oklahomans are on the hunt for what they are calling a black panther or mountain lion that has been spotted near several homes.
The creature has been reportedly seen near Pocasset in rural Grady County.
"It was about half grown, had a tail about 4 feet long and it was solid black," witness Russell Dahl said.
It has become quite the talk of the town after a few recent run-ins with people, including Dahl's neighbor who had an encounter while on an evening jog.
"It liked to scare her to death," he said.
The animal is said to have been roaming the area for decades.
Dahl said he questioned the creature's existence when his son described his sighting, but he quickly became a believer.
"I said, 'You saw a coyote.' Well, the next day I saw it and it wasn't no coyote," he said.
Officials at the Oklahoma State Department of Wildlife say they've had a definite increase in the number of calls they've gotten from people who say they've seen big cats after a mountain lion was captured in Tulsa over the weekend.
"Sometimes I think they might be seeing a bobcat, maybe even coyotes, once in a while dogs," Game Warden Ron Comer said. "You can't always believe what your eyes are telling you."
The latest sightings in this rural little town haven't only given the locals a bit of a scare, but some say the cats have gone after their cattle and pets.
Whatever it is, experts say it could be one of a number of different animals.
"I never try to tell anybody that they didn't see what they thought they saw, but the melanistic gene does not exist in the mountain lion or the pumas or panthers or whatever you want to call the north American big cat," Comer said.
The melanistic gene increases an animals dark pigmentation, turning the animal black.
Within the past few years, new laws have allowed people to kill mountain lions or big cats if they feel threatened.
However, now there is no open season to hunt the animals and it is illegal to do so.
As for the cat caught in Tulsa, wildlife officials believe it was a caged pet that somehow escaped from someone who was not licensed to have it.
http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-news-hunt-for-panther-lion-prey-livestock-story,0,7227827.story
Friday, April 22, 2011
Fears for children from ‘big cat’
Mum frightened to leave her baby in garden after dog was attacked
By Mel Fairhurst
Published: 16/04/2011
A mother living near the home of the mythical Loch Ness Monster claims a real-life killing beast is on the rampage in the area – and warned it could be a threat to children.
Terrified Katrina Wallace says she is too frightened to leave her 12-week-old baby unattended in the garden after her dog was attacked and a lamb was killed by a big cat-like creature which is thought to be prowling woods near her Drumnadrochit home.
Mrs Wallace’s husband, James, 38, first spotted the animal in the family garden at Ancarraig House, Bunloit, and thought it was one of the couple’s two black labradors.
He said it was black with a long, cat-like tail similar to that of a puma or cougar.
Weeks later one of the family dogs, Breargh, was attacked in the garden.
Mrs Wallace said: “There was blood all around her eye and her hind leg was ripped to shreds. The vet said she had been dragged by an animal bigger than a dog.”
Following snow showers in March, large paw prints which measured 4.5in by 3in were photographed by the couple, and a couple of weeks ago, they were horrified to find a lamb from a neighbouring farm had been killed. It had a puncture wound in the back of its neck.
Mrs Wallace said: “The paw prints came from the woods towards the house. A friend of ours who does a lot of shooting and has tracked animals confirmed they were cat prints and a big one at that.
“If I could, I would move. I have been told by police not to scaremonger. They said they needed more DNA evidence, but what more evidence can we give? My children, aged 12 and 14, are terrified and none of us will go outside alone after dark – we go out in pairs with a torch.”
Mrs Wallace added: “This animal attacked my dog which was lucky to escape, but what chance would a child have against an animal like this when they cannot fight back?
“I want this to be taken seriously because children and walkers are at risk.
“We have heard other stories of sightings of one or two big cats – one farmer in Kiltarlity said he lost 20 sheep to two of them.
“I think it could be something to do with the big cats which were released in the 1970s, which may have been breeding every since.”
Northern Constabulary carried out an investigation into the big cat reports, and also looked into complaints from residents at nearby Invermoriston about marauding wild boar in the area.
A police spokeswoman said: “Neither big cats such as pumas, nor wild boars are protected wildlife. In the majority of cases, the animals would not approach to harm humans. They are not known for their aggressive behaviour unless they are young and threatened and even then, there would be few cases. However, if we felt there was a threat to public safety, we would take appropriate action.”
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/2226731?UserKey=
By Mel Fairhurst
Published: 16/04/2011
A mother living near the home of the mythical Loch Ness Monster claims a real-life killing beast is on the rampage in the area – and warned it could be a threat to children.
Terrified Katrina Wallace says she is too frightened to leave her 12-week-old baby unattended in the garden after her dog was attacked and a lamb was killed by a big cat-like creature which is thought to be prowling woods near her Drumnadrochit home.
Mrs Wallace’s husband, James, 38, first spotted the animal in the family garden at Ancarraig House, Bunloit, and thought it was one of the couple’s two black labradors.
He said it was black with a long, cat-like tail similar to that of a puma or cougar.
Weeks later one of the family dogs, Breargh, was attacked in the garden.
Mrs Wallace said: “There was blood all around her eye and her hind leg was ripped to shreds. The vet said she had been dragged by an animal bigger than a dog.”
Following snow showers in March, large paw prints which measured 4.5in by 3in were photographed by the couple, and a couple of weeks ago, they were horrified to find a lamb from a neighbouring farm had been killed. It had a puncture wound in the back of its neck.
Mrs Wallace said: “The paw prints came from the woods towards the house. A friend of ours who does a lot of shooting and has tracked animals confirmed they were cat prints and a big one at that.
“If I could, I would move. I have been told by police not to scaremonger. They said they needed more DNA evidence, but what more evidence can we give? My children, aged 12 and 14, are terrified and none of us will go outside alone after dark – we go out in pairs with a torch.”
Mrs Wallace added: “This animal attacked my dog which was lucky to escape, but what chance would a child have against an animal like this when they cannot fight back?
“I want this to be taken seriously because children and walkers are at risk.
“We have heard other stories of sightings of one or two big cats – one farmer in Kiltarlity said he lost 20 sheep to two of them.
“I think it could be something to do with the big cats which were released in the 1970s, which may have been breeding every since.”
Northern Constabulary carried out an investigation into the big cat reports, and also looked into complaints from residents at nearby Invermoriston about marauding wild boar in the area.
A police spokeswoman said: “Neither big cats such as pumas, nor wild boars are protected wildlife. In the majority of cases, the animals would not approach to harm humans. They are not known for their aggressive behaviour unless they are young and threatened and even then, there would be few cases. However, if we felt there was a threat to public safety, we would take appropriate action.”
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/2226731?UserKey=
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Mystery of Cannock Chase 'beast' as new sighting is spotted
Yet another sighting of the Cannock Chase creature has been reported.
Chasetown resident Sam Whitehouse was driving across the Chase when he spotted the creature near the German Cemetery.
Sam was travelling along the A34 to Brocton, then to Camp Road, at about 11.30am on February 28.
Sam, a retired civil engineer, said the image is ‘burned into’ his memory.
“A short distance ahead, something crossed the road from right to left,” Sam said. “It was very compact, stocky even, with a strong sturdy body, head and legs. It was black and appeared to be quite shaggy. It scuttled - scurried across the road - quite fast. By the time I got to the location of the crossing it had disappeared into nearby dense undergrowth.”
Sam, from Church Street, said he estimates the creature was about 3ft high and 4ft long.
He researched on the internet and found the closest comparison is the North American Black Bear. “It is omnivorous, its diet including insects, beetles, deer fawns, fish, berries and tender plant shoots. The male is bigger than the female. The species hibernates until March. It is typically 2-3ft high and 4-5ft long.”
Some local folk suggested to Sam that the creature could be a wild boar.
“But surely a boar would have relatively thin legs?” Sam said.
Years ago Sam also caught sight of the elusive black panther.
http://www.sundaymercury.net/news/midlands-news/2011/03/30/mystery-of-cannock-chase-beast-as-new-sighting-is-spotted-66331-28431201/
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Bethersden big cat 'ran out in front of me'
A black panther has been 'seen' roaming the roads in Kent.
The beast was spotted by an unnamed driver who claimed he saw it in Brissenden Green, Bethersden.
He was travelling towards the A28 when the animal ran across the road.
It happened at 6.45pm on Saturday, March 19.
He reported the sighting to Neil Arnold of the Kent Big Cat Research group, which collects data about sightings of exotic animals in the county.
The man said: “A large black panther style cat with a long tail, ran across the road, very fast, in front of my car.
"It actually brought me to a standstill, I think more through sheer amazement at what I had just witnessed.”
“I have heard that a similar cat has been spotted before in the Bethersden and Woodchurch area.
"I’m so pleased that I have finally seen one for myself.”
Wednesday, March 23 2011
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2011/march/23/big_cat_ran_out_in_front_of_m.aspx
Woman's big cat encounter
8:10am Monday 28th March 2011
A Johnston dog walker was left shaken after a big cat sighting in the village.
Elizabeth Herbert was walking her jack russell on the cycle path behind Orchard Court when she she spotted the ‘labrador size’ black cat coming towards her.
The sighting was just after 6pm on Friday, March 11.
“My little jack russell rocketed in the opposite direction,” she said.
Ms Herbert said the large cat then dived under a hole in the fence heading towards the railway track.
http://www.milfordmercury.co.uk/news/8930633.Woman_s_big_cat_encounter/
A Johnston dog walker was left shaken after a big cat sighting in the village.
Elizabeth Herbert was walking her jack russell on the cycle path behind Orchard Court when she she spotted the ‘labrador size’ black cat coming towards her.
The sighting was just after 6pm on Friday, March 11.
“My little jack russell rocketed in the opposite direction,” she said.
Ms Herbert said the large cat then dived under a hole in the fence heading towards the railway track.
http://www.milfordmercury.co.uk/news/8930633.Woman_s_big_cat_encounter/
Friday, March 18, 2011
Have you spotted big cat in Crowland?
Published on Wednesday 16 March 2011 09:41
A VISITOR to a rural garden centre has reported seeing a “black leopard” in a field.
Martin Barron (39) said he saw the animal in a field near Crowland Garden Centre, in Postland Road, at about 4pm on Saturday.
If you have any information on the mysterious feline, contact ET reporter Stephen Briggs on 01733 588734 or email stephen.briggs@peterboroughtoday.co.uk.
http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/features/have_you_spotted_big_cat_in_crowland_1_2503410
A VISITOR to a rural garden centre has reported seeing a “black leopard” in a field.
Martin Barron (39) said he saw the animal in a field near Crowland Garden Centre, in Postland Road, at about 4pm on Saturday.
If you have any information on the mysterious feline, contact ET reporter Stephen Briggs on 01733 588734 or email stephen.briggs@peterboroughtoday.co.uk.
http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/features/have_you_spotted_big_cat_in_crowland_1_2503410
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Kangaroos, wallabies, black panthers and even Bigfoot - could mystery of Cannock Chase stretch back to 1800s?
Mar 10 2011 by Charlotte Lilley
For decades, there have been reports of big cats in the Cannock Chase area.
There have also been sightings of kangaroos, wallabies and even Bigfoot. Strange noises in the night, including piercing howls, and mysterious paw prints in the snow have only created further speculation that something is lurking in this little corner of Staffordshire.
However, one must question where these animals originated from.
During the late 1800s, a resident doctor, renowned zoologist and recognised expert on big cats, lived in Cannock and housed a whole host of animals in his own back garden that stood on the grounds of Cannock’s police station. Dr John Butter was well known for his ‘lair of beasts’ which included giant snakes, elephants, emus, ostriches, a wild ocelot and even a life-sized giraffe which, some neighbours said, regularly peered at them over the garden fence. An obscure character, Butter established a wide reputation. He often made house calls to his patients whilst being carted around the town by a zebra. For those who made it to his surgery, they were greeted in the waiting room by his pet monkey, Antony.
But what became of these animals? Are these the ancestors of the strange beasts spotted on Cannock Chase?
The Boer War showed just how respected Butter was, as the whole town gathered to bid him farewell when he went to do battle. However, it is a well-known fact that during this time, some of his creatures simply disappeared from his home. Were they stolen or did they escape?
At the outbreak of the First World War, further animals appear to have vanished as food supplies became rationed. No records can be found of them being donated to local zoos, to a travelling circus or even being put to sleep. Could it be that the doctor himself released his beloved animals into the wild during the night when nobody was watching? And what became of Antony the monkey? No-one knows.
Perhaps what residents have been witnessing are descendants of the animals that Dr Butter cared for. However, it is also possible the animals found new homes and no documentation of the transactions were ever recorded.
Whatever happened to Butter’s magnificent menagerie, we will never know. The doctor died in April 1920 having suffered from a mystery illness for ten days. Whether he released his creatures into the wild or not, remains a mystery. He took his secrets to the grave.
One thing is for sure - almost 100 years ago, exceptional animals were kept not too far from Cannock Chase, a place where there have been countless reports and sightings of animals and strange creatures not at all native to Britain.
http://www.sundaymercury.net/news/midlands-news/2011/03/10/kangaroos-wallabies-black-panthers-and-even-bigfoot-could-mystery-of-cannock-chase-stretch-back-to-1800s-66331-28312945/
For decades, there have been reports of big cats in the Cannock Chase area.
There have also been sightings of kangaroos, wallabies and even Bigfoot. Strange noises in the night, including piercing howls, and mysterious paw prints in the snow have only created further speculation that something is lurking in this little corner of Staffordshire.
However, one must question where these animals originated from.
During the late 1800s, a resident doctor, renowned zoologist and recognised expert on big cats, lived in Cannock and housed a whole host of animals in his own back garden that stood on the grounds of Cannock’s police station. Dr John Butter was well known for his ‘lair of beasts’ which included giant snakes, elephants, emus, ostriches, a wild ocelot and even a life-sized giraffe which, some neighbours said, regularly peered at them over the garden fence. An obscure character, Butter established a wide reputation. He often made house calls to his patients whilst being carted around the town by a zebra. For those who made it to his surgery, they were greeted in the waiting room by his pet monkey, Antony.
But what became of these animals? Are these the ancestors of the strange beasts spotted on Cannock Chase?
The Boer War showed just how respected Butter was, as the whole town gathered to bid him farewell when he went to do battle. However, it is a well-known fact that during this time, some of his creatures simply disappeared from his home. Were they stolen or did they escape?
At the outbreak of the First World War, further animals appear to have vanished as food supplies became rationed. No records can be found of them being donated to local zoos, to a travelling circus or even being put to sleep. Could it be that the doctor himself released his beloved animals into the wild during the night when nobody was watching? And what became of Antony the monkey? No-one knows.
Perhaps what residents have been witnessing are descendants of the animals that Dr Butter cared for. However, it is also possible the animals found new homes and no documentation of the transactions were ever recorded.
Whatever happened to Butter’s magnificent menagerie, we will never know. The doctor died in April 1920 having suffered from a mystery illness for ten days. Whether he released his creatures into the wild or not, remains a mystery. He took his secrets to the grave.
One thing is for sure - almost 100 years ago, exceptional animals were kept not too far from Cannock Chase, a place where there have been countless reports and sightings of animals and strange creatures not at all native to Britain.
http://www.sundaymercury.net/news/midlands-news/2011/03/10/kangaroos-wallabies-black-panthers-and-even-bigfoot-could-mystery-of-cannock-chase-stretch-back-to-1800s-66331-28312945/
Friday, February 25, 2011
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
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
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Catbeast Spotted Again
Published on Tue Feb 15 13:58:07 GMT 2011
Calderdale’s catbeast has been sighted again – for the first time in three years.
Vanessa Pickles, of Brow Foot Gate Lane, Cote Hill, Halifax, was in a car on her way to work when she spotted a huge cat roaming a lane leading into Copley Woods from Wakefield Road.
She said: “I was in the back of the car, stuck in roadworks in Copley. The traffic was backed up quite a way, almost to the Halifax building.
“Up one of the small roads I just saw this thing going down towards the road.”
Miss Pickles, 24, said it was definitely not a domestic cat and was about the size of a large dog.
“It was 10 feet from the road moving towards the traffic, which surprised me because you’d think it would be scared.
“It looked like a lynx with black and brown patterned markings. It was like a bengal cat but much bigger.”
It is not the first big cat sighting in Calderdale. Between 2005 and 2007 a spate of sightings at Cunnery Woods, Hipperholme; Park Road, Elland; Cragg Vale and Copley were reported in the Courier.
Some of these matched Miss Pickles’ description while others referred to a larger black beast like a panther or puma.
Calderdale Council’s countryside manager Ted Ashman said they could be exotic pets that were released into the wild when laws changed, forcing owners to license them.
He said: “They are wild animals and are quite capable of finding prey themselves. We have got a good population of deer in Calderdale and they would be more than capable of bringing a deer down.
“We’ve got good cover here and plenty of rabbits, so there is enough natural food to sustain a big cat, should we have one wandering around.
“They are quite shy and elusive creatures so they wouldn’t show themselves often.”
Big cat enthusiast Paul Westwood said the latest sighting could be a lynx.
“The lynx used to be a natural animal here and there are people who want to bring them back.
“Nationally we get a couple of hundred sightings a year but without any picture evidence you can never be certain.”
Mr Westwood said the length of time since the alst sighting may be because the animal has been in another area or simply has been too good at hiding from potential spotters.
This hasn’t deterred Miss Pickles who says she is still hopeful of seeing the creature again.
“I just keep looking up the road whenever we go back past,” she said.
• Have you seen the cat beast? Do you believe there could be big cats running wild in Calderdale? Email yoursay@halifaxcourier.co.uk
http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/local/catbeast_spotted_again_1_3081747
Monday, February 14, 2011
Is the government's hunt for a big cat really a wild goose chase?
John Elder February 13, 2011
THE state government is on the prowl for the folkloric big cats of Victoria - such as the panther-like creature said to haunt the sheep country around Beechworth. But veteran hunters of the often-seen but never caught pumas and cheetahs say the government is on the wrong track.
Simon Townsend and John Turner of bigcatsvic.com.au are urging Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh to grab rubber gloves and a swab and start DNA testing the claw marks found on the remains of savaged lambs and calves.
Mr Townsend says his website receives up to three sightings a week, many by farmers who have complained about big cats killing stock.
It was this history of unhappiness that led Nationals leader Peter Ryan to pledge an investigation into the big-cat issue and establish ''once and for all'' if they actually exist.
Says John Turner: ''There's no doubt they exist. We have more than 500 eyewitness accounts. People can say it's just a black wallaby … but it's not a wallaby if it snarls and slinks about on four legs.''
Mr Turner has seen two such beasts, the last being a leopard-sized cat outside Beechworth four years ago. He and Mr Townsend worry that the government won't commit enough funds to the task. Says Mr Townsend: ''The best way would be DNA analysis of stock kills. That costs $500 for one sample. So let's hope they have sufficient funds allocated.''
Mr Townsend says the government ''seems to be serious, but I don't think they understand what a big undertaking it will be. They want to get it done quickly but that's not viable.''
Mr Townsend has been after them for 40 years, after first spotting a ''large black feline'' along the pipeline outside Warburton.
The Sunday Age has been told the preferred rubber-glove forensic approach has taken a back seat to the cheaper option of whatever you call that rubber studded thing you put on your thumb to avoid a paper cut. Rather than hitting the bloodied trail, Department of Agriculture staff are trawling through all the records of sightings to establish if any of them ring true. A spokeswoman says: ''We are conducting a limited investigation into the issue of big cats to determine once and for all if they exist.''
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/is-the-governments-hunt-for-a-big-cat-really-a-wild-goose-chase-20110212-1are2.html
THE state government is on the prowl for the folkloric big cats of Victoria - such as the panther-like creature said to haunt the sheep country around Beechworth. But veteran hunters of the often-seen but never caught pumas and cheetahs say the government is on the wrong track.
Simon Townsend and John Turner of bigcatsvic.com.au are urging Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh to grab rubber gloves and a swab and start DNA testing the claw marks found on the remains of savaged lambs and calves.
Mr Townsend says his website receives up to three sightings a week, many by farmers who have complained about big cats killing stock.
It was this history of unhappiness that led Nationals leader Peter Ryan to pledge an investigation into the big-cat issue and establish ''once and for all'' if they actually exist.
Says John Turner: ''There's no doubt they exist. We have more than 500 eyewitness accounts. People can say it's just a black wallaby … but it's not a wallaby if it snarls and slinks about on four legs.''
Mr Turner has seen two such beasts, the last being a leopard-sized cat outside Beechworth four years ago. He and Mr Townsend worry that the government won't commit enough funds to the task. Says Mr Townsend: ''The best way would be DNA analysis of stock kills. That costs $500 for one sample. So let's hope they have sufficient funds allocated.''
Mr Townsend says the government ''seems to be serious, but I don't think they understand what a big undertaking it will be. They want to get it done quickly but that's not viable.''
Mr Townsend has been after them for 40 years, after first spotting a ''large black feline'' along the pipeline outside Warburton.
The Sunday Age has been told the preferred rubber-glove forensic approach has taken a back seat to the cheaper option of whatever you call that rubber studded thing you put on your thumb to avoid a paper cut. Rather than hitting the bloodied trail, Department of Agriculture staff are trawling through all the records of sightings to establish if any of them ring true. A spokeswoman says: ''We are conducting a limited investigation into the issue of big cats to determine once and for all if they exist.''
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/is-the-governments-hunt-for-a-big-cat-really-a-wild-goose-chase-20110212-1are2.html
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