Big black cats ( panther) Australia

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This is off NSW DPI website

[h=2]Introduction[/h]For more than 100 years reports have been made of large cat-like animals living feely within NSW. Some of the historical reports include the 'Emmaville panther', the 'Kangaroo Valley' panther and the 'Grampians puma'. Claims of a large black cat living freely in NSW have arisen because people persistently (albeit infrequently) see and report:
  1. animals whose identity remains to be established; or
  2. animals belonging to a known species – such as domestic cats Felis catus.
For the last decade NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) has received reports of large unidentified cat-like animals. Recently areas west of Sydney that accommodate zones of bushland and National Park estate, have generated attention due to reports of large cat-like animals being sighted within the environment. The sightings have been reported from Lithgow in the west, Turill in the north and Yerranderie in the south. Reports have also been received as far south as Adaminaby and, occasional sightings at Cooma.
In 2003 NSW Agriculture produced a report on black cat sightings within the Blue Mountains area of NSW. The report considered: discussions with staff of organisations such as NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Rural Lands Protection Board (now the Livestock Health and Pest Authority); the opinions of available evidence by an expert panel; a database of large cat sightings collected from a community based organisation set up to receive sighting reports; reports of predation, scratches on trees, casts of footprints and faecal, fur and hair samples. The report however concluded that none of the available evidence conclusively proved the presence of free-ranging exotic large cats in NSW.
[h=2]Social impacts[/h]Media reports covering 'black cat' sightings have proliferated over the last 10 years, particularly in north-west Sydney newspapers and on radio broadcasts. The media coverage has assisted in making the wider-community aware of the 'black cat' phenomenon. Many community members who believe there is a large cat-like animal or claim to have sighted the animal express fear and concern over the potential for the animal to attack people or animals within their community. Some members of the community claim that there have been stock losses, (horses, cattle and sheep) as a direct result of predation by a large cat. Domestic pets (dogs, cats and chooks) have also allegedly been maimed or killed by the cat.
[h=2]Role of NSW Government[/h]A community group from the Grose Vale area has indicated a strong expectation that NSW government has a responsibility to resolve the community's concerns regarding the black cat phenomenon. Many National Parks exist in close proximity to where the large cat sightings have been made. Consequently the Grose Vale group has identified the National Park estate as providing habitat to support the long-term survival of a large cat-like animal. The Grose Vale group has questioned the roles of government departments, suggesting that the Department of Environment and Climate Change and NSW DPI should take effective action regarding large black cat sightings.
[h=2]Arrangements in place to make reports of large-cat sightings[/h]NSW DPI met with the community group from the Grose Vale area to consider the group's concerns with increasing number of large cat sightings in the area and the potential threat posed to the public by such an animal. NSW DPI proffered to collect and collate information about animal sightings and other events related to this matter. To this end the Department published an 'unidentified animal reporting form' on its external website and produced a document entitled 'black cat' identification. The document was developed to assist with determining what the unidentified animal might be and provide a guide to collecting evidence of the animal. The 'unidentified-animal' report form and the 'black cat' identification guide can be found at the following webpage: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/pests-weeds/vertebrate-pests
In addition to the NSW DPI reporting form, people wishing to make a report of 'unidentified-animals' are able to continue contacting the Grose Vale group to provide their information. The Grose Vale group have collected about 335 reports of sightings over a 10 year period.
[h=2]Eyewitness testimony[/h]For many years eyewitness descriptions of large cats have been collected by community groups such as the Grose Vale community group and through the NSW DPI Unidentified Animal Report Form. Sightings have also been reported to NSW Police, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Moss Vale Rural Lands Protection Board and NSW DPI. These sightings range from distant glimpses to close encounters. Other claims include large scratches on trees and instances where goat and sheep carcasses were found in trees.
The most common description of the unidentified animal is of a large-cat like animal of a similar size to a large dog and the colour is almost always described as grey or black. However by themselves, the eyewitness reports are not a reliable scientific resource.
[h=2]Accumulation of evidence[/h]Objective evidence including film, photographs, casts of footprints, faeces for DNA analysis and fur and hair samples for analysis has been provided to assist with identifying the source of the unidentified animal reports, however none of the evidence conclusively proves the presence of free ranging - large cats. Further examples of evidence reported include:
  • Claims that there have been numerous attacks on livestock, peacocks and wallabies. In most cases it has not been possible to determine what predator actually attacked the livestock and wildlife but there is no evidence that the damage was caused by an exotic cat.
  • A number of trees with large scratch marks on them have been photographed. Similar scratches have been seen on galvanised iron on a shed at Grose Vale and in the New England area of NSW. It has been postulated that the scratches were made by a large cat however there is no evidence to support this theory.
  • Numerous photographs and some plaster casts have been taken of paw-like prints in mud and sand and also on concrete and other hard surfaces. Some of the paw prints have been found to be consistent with those of a medium sized cat. However none of the evidence provides conclusive evidence of the existence of a large-cat and the most likely origin of the prints is from dog paws.
  • NSW DPI and the Grose Vale group have sent a number of hair, saliva and faecal samples to recognised Australian experts for identification. None of the analysis results have indicated cats as the origin of the samples.
  • A group of experts was convened by NSW DPI to consider video footage of a large black cat filmed at Lithgow. The group concluded that the animal filmed was a very large feral cat, two to three times normal size. This was based on the profile of the animal and the shape of it head and ears. 'It was sitting very close to a large but obviously normal sized domestic cat. The group considered that a domestic cat would not be in such close proximity to a leopard or puma.
[h=2]Other theories on the animal's identity[/h]A number of theories have been postulated at to the identity of the unidentified animal/s. At times and under certain conditions many common animals may be confused with a large black cat such as a panther or black leopard. These include breeds of large dogs, swamp wallabies and large domestic /feral cats. Domestic cats normally range in weight between 2.5 and 7 kg but can range in weight up to 16 kg.
[h=2]Conclusion[/h]NSW DPI has continued to collect information on possible large black cat sightings since 2003 when the last review was undertaken.
Whilst information has been provided there is still nothing to conclusively say that a large black cat exists.
[h=2]Recommendation[/h]
  • NSW DPI should continue to collect reports of 'unidentified animals' through the NSW DPI public website. The report forms should be analysed for possible existence of large black cats.
  • If compelling evidence is presented that indicates a large black cat exists within NSW, consideration may be given to forming a whole-of-government taskforce to examine future options for handling this issue
 
i did hear that nsw DPI do beleive there is big black cats out there but dont want to alarm the community and get us hunters all rev'd up !

i have seen footage of a cow with large claws scars around the throat of a cow and large claw scars on the hinds of cows in a video on you tube which no native australian animal is able to make.
 
i did hear that nsw DPI do beleive there is big black cats out there but dont want to alarm the community and get us hunters all rev'd up !

i have seen footage of a cow with large claws scars around the throat of a cow and large claw scars on the hinds of cows in a video on you tube which no native australian animal is able to make.


I've seen the video your talkin about on youtube it's on here some where, I got told it had dna testing done on it and was found to be dogs.. In my opinion it doesn't look like a dog bite and i doubt a dog good make scratches that deep on a cow.. I'll find the video for ya.

Australia's Big Cats - YouTube

that's one of them.
 
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I've never come across one but I reckon they're out there. A pig hunter I know claims to have seen big cats in the Brindies west of Canberra and around Misty Mountain, near Batemans bay. This bloke isn't prone to telling porky pies either.
 
I've seen the video your talkin about on youtube it's on here some where, I got told it had dna testing done on it and was found to be dogs.. In my opinion it doesn't look like a dog bite and i doubt a dog good make scratches that deep on a cow.. I'll find the video for ya.

Australia's Big Cats - YouTube

that's one of them.

Yes but as with the DNA testing, maybe the results are.... ummm... not correct as with the scats that were sent for testing and came back dog with cat fur.. evern the scats collected from .. umm.. i think it was a leopards pen from a private zoo. It came back as dog or cat...
i'm just sayin'
 
Many years ago I seen one, I seen it up real close like, so close you could smell the Lucky Tom on it's breathe. A giant black beast sitting on my chest. "What the f%$# was that" I yells and sees the last bit of it as it leaps out of the window.
"Thats the cat we're looking after" says my girlfriend. "thats no cat says I, that be a panther for sure".
Sorry no pics.
 
Yes but as with the DNA testing, maybe the results are.... ummm... not correct as with the scats that were sent for testing and came back dog with cat fur.. evern the scats collected from .. umm.. i think it was a leopards pen from a private zoo. It came back as dog or cat...
i'm just sayin'

so basically the DNA testing that was done isn't 100% full proof of what the animal could be?
 
Of course not, it was done by scientists and we know they are in cahoots with the Gubment.
 
Yes but as with the DNA testing, maybe the results are.... ummm... not correct as with the scats that were sent for testing and came back dog with cat fur.. evern the scats collected from .. umm.. i think it was a leopards pen from a private zoo. It came back as dog or cat...
i'm just sayin'

Do you have a source for this?
 
A few weeks back I had the biggest Feral cat I've seen in the cross hairs of a .223 but I muffed the shot and was a bit low, sending a heap of rock into its face and giving it the fright of its life. I was stunned at how big it was, almost Kelpie sized but definately a cat. No pics obviously cause I missed :x

Made up for it with 8 foxes that night though :)

lol ever thought of quitting your day job and being a comedian?

What if his day job is comedy? Does he quit comedy and become a serious and productive member of society?
 
What if his day job is comedy? Does he quit comedy and become a serious and productive member of society?

with comments like "A giant black beast sitting on my chest." I'd say he has a good future in comedy.
 
Cement I'm not sure exactly what you're getting at.. Because your tiger prints on the beach weren't as big as your hand my prints can't possibly be that size?? And what relevance does not being able to see a tiger through thick jungle have to the Australian bush?? And no there aren't any photos of the cast as we had the cast itself, I don't know where it is now I assume my uncle still has it.. We have never been out to prove anything so haven't felt the need to collect "evidence"

I'm not getting at anything. Just giving one experience I have had with big cats in the wild. See the gap between the two statements, one stops and the other starts.
I do find it funny though, how if an animal like that was cruising near your house, you wouldn't make some determined effort to see it. It really isn't that hard to set up blinds, motion sensors, cameras or spotlights and actually get to the bottom of it.

Space

New statement not aimed at Lynchette85, At the end of the day regarding this topic there would be hundreds of hunters who would be keen to get dressed up in camo and stake out parts of the bush to be the FIRST PERSON with credible evidence. It would be worth dollars to the lucky punter and would pay his expenses plus for sure.
A lot of country folk and farmers are so scared of snakes that they kill them on site and exaggerate the experience, and these are their own native animals. some of the stories I have heard come of country people's mouths is astonishing. One of my mates has even just been doing ven snake knowledge courses to the Aboriginal people of western sydney because they have lost the knowledge of the animals.
My point is that even people on the land are prone to fear magnifying sights and experiences. When there is heaps of words but no evidence well.... Even our own minds change what we see over time... memory is not a photo image that stays exactly the same to a hell of a lot of the population.
Bring on the evidence I say, and make us all eat our hats!
Until there's evidence I don't completely believe anything ,anyone says.
 
Ah well Cement you're entitled to your scepticism ;) I know something was out there
 
Its not beyond the realms of possibility that an introduced big cat has escaped from circus or a private zoo, or whatever,
maybe even two.
There was a hippo shot by pigshooters in Darwin wasn't there.
 
Well, on a serious note I suppose when you have arsewipes like Warren Anderson with private zoos theres a possibility of any animal being out there.
 
Aussie Pride, when you have a pic of your Panther or large cat (either way I belive you). Post it when you can until then be ready to accept negativity. Until then nearly 20 pages. Any quantities in mind?
 
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