Big black cats ( panther) Australia

[Jungle_Freak]

So your saying the cat was over 3 foot tall and up to 5 foot long ?
Head was higher than your bonnet ?

 

[apprenticegnome]

Im a non believer. After alll the alleged sightings over numerous decades not 1 panther has been shot, trapped or clearly photographed. I find it hard to belive when people can photograph other rare species clearly and provide carcasses etc (hard proof). Ive have seen extremely large cats when out shooting and can find it easy for people to believe that they are even bigger again than thier actual size. I won't believe until I see hard evidence (a panther captured alive or dead).

 

[Fuscus]

I find it fascinating that these big cats are both shotgun and car proof and seem to be immune to focused photography

 

[hugsta]

I shot one once, whether it be a feral cat or panther or melanistic lion, who knows, all I know is that we were spotlighting at night, I ws shooting and my old my was spotting. we were driving through a paddock with some cows that had calves and we saw some eyes that looked different. Dad said it was just a calf laying down, but I said no, something was different and told him to shine the light back. It was a huge black cat, you could see its tail flicking up and down as they do when they are nice and content and it was looking at us. Anyway, I shot it with a .308 and thing got up and took off. we went back the next day to find a calf had been torn to shreds and half devoured, but no sign of anything else other than that. Still gives me goose bumps as I was only in my early teens at the time. But will never forget it. What it was, who knows, it was definately a big black cat, a panther...well, your guess is as good as mine, I just remember it was huge and even dad had to look twice due to the size of it. just my little addition to the thread.......

 

[waruikazi]

No-one beleived there were wild hippo's in the NT, then someone shot one...

 

[feathergrass]

I think alot of places have the story of escaped panthers from a circus i know in new zealand they have that story and theres supposed to be big mythic cats there too, if they are there ( in both countries) and have been there for decades and not been caiught killed and caged once again i say them them to it...If they are an "undiscovered native" then power to them for so far still being undiscovered means that god has actually give one animal the brains enough to preserve their own hide ...if in fact what has been caught is them i feel for the poor critter having been caught and killed, but i understand that for some it is human nature to hunt down and kill or cage what we dont understand

 

[Red-Ink]

Found this...

Australian Panther Research - N.S.W Government Report

 

[Nighthawk]

in new zealand they have that story and theres supposed to be big mythic cats there too

You misspelled "Moose" lol, or "Moa"
Personally I'm just waiting for a photo, I'm not really here nor there when it comes to belief. I find the legends fascinating though.
Waruikazi: were you pulling the piss or dead serious about the hippo? Because that would be the the best one yet

 

[waruikazi]

Pygmy hippopotamus shot during Northern Territory hunting trip | News.com.au

 

[Nighthawk]

Pygmy hippopotamus shot during Northern Territory hunting trip | News.com.au

Awesome!

 

[waruikazi]

Awesome!

Not really, chances are it was the only one. But if there are more then that's just another feral to tear up our environment.

 

[Nighthawk]

Not really, chances are it was the only one. But if there are more then that's just another feral to tear up our environment.

I know, but still; imagine being able to trump any hunting story with a hippo.
"I shot a razorback this big!"
"I shot a 250kg hippo."
"..."

 

[Perko]

Rog, what gives them the potential to grow bigger?
I have shot a heap of feral cats and they have all been skinny normal height cats, probably due to the lack of food and the energy they use to find it as opposed to domestic cats that have there high fatty food dropped in a bowl.
I would have thought if feral cats have the ability to grow huge, pet shop owners would have caught some of these "monsters" and bred from them, they would sell like hot cakes wouldnt they? Mini Panthers!
If any one has a pic of a monster feral cat, twice the size as some are saying please post up a pic.

Feral cats simply have the potential to grow a lot larger than the domestic version.
I myself have seen plenty of large feral cats, including 3 or 4 monsters . That where close to twice the size of a normal domestic cat.
These larger than normal cats are what most of the citings are based on.IMO .
But they are just a bigger wild version of our domestic cat.
my 2 cents ...

I would give my right one and my left one for Warrens gun collection!

Pygmy hippopotamus shot during Northern Territory hunting trip | News.com.au

 

[Stunmug]

I find it fascinating that these big cats are both shotgun and car proof and seem to be immune to focused photography

Absolutely correct Fuscus, this subect surfaces regularly on dozens of Aus. forums, no one has produced hard evidence yet !!!

 

[Jungle_Freak]

Hi Craig ,
Food availability and the type of prey defines growth rates and possible increases in size . IMO.
If a cat has been eating small prey items , ie mice or skinks etc then its more likely to be smaller .
But say if a cat feeds on rabbits or banditcoots as its main pereference is for larger prey .
If those cats breed a few generations living on that diet of larger prey the benefits will in time produce larger cats.

Also seen huge dingos obviously with domestic dog in them.

But what the hell , large panthers etc are exciting to hear about ...lol

Im curtain i could ID the real perp of any of these so called panther kills , by the evidence of how the animal was attacked and killed and the tracks or spoor around the area of the kill.
A true bushman would more than likely have shot a panther or puma or leopard by now if they were really here.
Excellant bow hunters and rifflemen are out in the bush all the time etc.
They would drill a big cat in a heart beat then show it off ????

Also i did not even bother to watch the video in the first post , untill just now.

The whole video is self explanatory.
Domestic cats do grow a lot larger than in the wild.

If any of these eye witnesses who owned dogs had really seen a panther they would also be telling the story of how terrified there pet dog was after a close encounter or if the dog even so much as smelled a panther.
Its widely known amongst hunters that domestic dogs are frightened of big cats. Unless a dog is trained otherwise.
And these eye witnesses are lucky there dogs are still around because big cats love domestic dogs for a snack etc
Of course there are hounds that are trained to hunt big cats in many countries. If a real outdoorsmen saw a big cat, im pretty sure dogs could be trained to tree these big cats . Its how problem big cats ie mountain lions are dealt with in the USA . etc

Mountain Lion Attacks from 2001 to 2010

The other thing is that a moutain lion or a black panther ie melanistic leopard are not magical creatures .
They can be hunted and captured or shot quite easily by a experianced hunter.
So if there was big cats running around they would be caught and shot in know time .




Roger

 

[ozziepythons]

Not everyone who claims that they have observed large, black Felids in the GDR region are out to prove something fantastic. There have been quite a few credible sightings made by people whom have nothing to gain by lying or exaggerating. The observations made are most often very similar in description from a diverse range of disconnected members of the public. One example that has come to mind is that of a woman who observed a large, black "cat" on her property estimated around the 70 kg weight range. Her concern wasn't proving her credibility but protecting her young children from the animal she had observed and wanted the authorities to manage the situation.
One thing that the hardcore sceptics struggle to explain away is why the large specimens observed by the public are almost always described as pure black.

 

[sammy09]

"At least four lions have been shot outside zoos and circuses in NSW over the past twenty years, three at Warragamba in two incidents and one at Broken Hill. Three lions also escaped from a circus in Coffs Harbour. It should be remembered that lions are more visible than other large cats which tend to be more secretive and cryptic. In 1992 a tiger escaped from a circus at St Mary's and was subsequently recaptured. A number of hoaxes, such as the flabbit, have been reported over the years. Yowies and bunyips are also reported from time to time."

 

[Poggle]

Pygmy hippopotamus shot during Northern Territory hunting trip | News.com.au

I was going to say this also gordo. My wife grew up in humpty doo and bees creek. About 6 or so years ago she heard the horses carrying on out in the stable yards. When she got out there one of the horses was in the corner shaking. They put a light on him and he had deep lacerations either side of his rump. I will find the pics at home for proof, as it freaked me out. Vet couldnt explain it.
I dont know what it was, but i saw the cuts, so i am not passiing off anything. There was a zoo investigated i believe for the release of this hippo and possibly large cats from what i can remember?

 

[waruikazi]

Yeah there was a private zoo that the hippo reportedly escaped from, apparently there are deer in the same region too.

I've also heard of monkeys on the cobourg penisular lol.

 

[Perko]

Rog, does evolution work that quick?

These over grown run down cages used to house Lions, panthers etc, rumour was he let one go!
Coincidentally its just 2 properties away from Anderson's (pygmy hippo owner) other property at Mulgoa.