Black Panther
There has been recent media attention here in New South Wales about the Black Panthers that are on the loose in the bush. The alleged sightings have been prevalent around the Campbelltown, Lithgow, Blue Mountains and even the Melbourne areas.
Media report
The new Premier of New South Wales, Nathan Rees has waded into this saying the sightings need further investigation.
Report of Premier
How rational are these calls about a Black Panther loose in the bush? Where did they come from? Are they breeding?
There have been alleged sightings of these big cats over many years. Some say they came her during World War 2 with the USA Army. Others say they are circus escapees. These could be an explanation.
As we know there are thousands if not millions of feral cats in Australia, could this be them?
Even the Liberal Party has come in on this in a predictable manner.
Liberal Party view
What is the most likely explanation?
World War 2 big cats, unlikelyto be, they would be dead by now unless there are enough to successfully breed in the wild.
Circus escapees, unlikely, to me, unless there has been a lot of escapees and they are breeding as well.
Domestic feral moggy, most likely, to my way of thinking. People can get the appearance and size of an animal that they fleetingly see or see from afar very wrong.
Well what do you all think. Any chance of a big cat, or possibly a feral moggy.
Do people get a bit hysterical with talk of things that are mysterious in the bush?
Over to you, fellow bloggers.
There has been recent media attention here in New South Wales about the Black Panthers that are on the loose in the bush. The alleged sightings have been prevalent around the Campbelltown, Lithgow, Blue Mountains and even the Melbourne areas.
Media report
The new Premier of New South Wales, Nathan Rees has waded into this saying the sightings need further investigation.
Report of Premier
How rational are these calls about a Black Panther loose in the bush? Where did they come from? Are they breeding?
There have been alleged sightings of these big cats over many years. Some say they came her during World War 2 with the USA Army. Others say they are circus escapees. These could be an explanation.
As we know there are thousands if not millions of feral cats in Australia, could this be them?
Even the Liberal Party has come in on this in a predictable manner.
Liberal Party view
What is the most likely explanation?
World War 2 big cats, unlikelyto be, they would be dead by now unless there are enough to successfully breed in the wild.
Circus escapees, unlikely, to me, unless there has been a lot of escapees and they are breeding as well.
Domestic feral moggy, most likely, to my way of thinking. People can get the appearance and size of an animal that they fleetingly see or see from afar very wrong.
Well what do you all think. Any chance of a big cat, or possibly a feral moggy.
Do people get a bit hysterical with talk of things that are mysterious in the bush?
Over to you, fellow bloggers.
I haven't seen a Panther lately, though I saw a dirty big Tiger in Lakemba and heard it's domain went from Canterbury and on Through Belmore to Bankstown.
ReplyDeleteapparently it's diet consists solely of Bulldogs.
Result - none left in this region.
Wonderful!
If there is a cat on the loose, it is likely that it has escaped in recent years or a last member or a functionally extinct small group of cats. If there is even a single or a couple of breeding pairs in the wild then their prospects of a panther population sustaining itself would be very limited. In order to have a population that can expect to establish itself in the long term then there need to be sufficient genetic variation and can account for death due to disease and accident, it would need to number in the thousands. This is not just an problem restricted to 'cryptids' such as panthers, but also to dinosaurs in Africa, bigfoot, and the Loch Ness monster just to name a few.
ReplyDeleteWhat! you've also seen Bigfoot and Locky.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was at Loch Ness in 1988 I got a very grainy photo of Locky but was the only one in the group to have seen it.
Funny isn't it.
Now, now, Christiaan, don't let logic and clear thinking get in the way of a good story.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I think it is all hysteria from a small section of the community. These sightings have gone on for many years without any evidence. Yes I think you would need a big population to sustain the widespread sightings over many years.
Bob, just bring your cats over here and see what my Lochy can do to them.
ReplyDeleteI'd probably be inclined to think that these sightings are possibly moggies.... Whilst they have been linked to these types of terrain, and have 'home ranges' of between 10-31 Square Km that they would guard by walking along their boundries and scent marking/scratching............etc. I see that there have been people out there searching for such evidence and it was called off in 2002, so there couldn't have been a large populus of them then...if any. Don't think they are escapees......... wouldn't they have to account for their "missing" cat.
ReplyDeleteSame goes with a zoo........couldn't see that happening.
Man that was a mission and a half just to get that last message up there.
ReplyDeleteThanks Roslyn Lee, and welcome.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think of the people making these observations, their experiences and maybe belief about these big cats.
Hi and thanks for the welcome.
ReplyDeleteI had to have a peek over here cos I saw the Panther.lol
I really couldn't comment about the people as I feel I haven't got enough info to make that call.
I think that seeings these observations are "one offs", there's room for error of judgement. JMO
Thanks Roslyn Lee. Yes good point. I think error of judgement is on the ball.
ReplyDeleteI believe if you check out the Skeptic Zone podcast (there's even a blog, at http://skepticzone.wordpress.com/2008/09/21/premier-puts-big-foot-in-it-over-mythical-panther/).
ReplyDelete:)
BigFoot.LMAO
ReplyDeleteJust a Cryptid...........
The world & life in general can be a miserable place. If people believe in astrology or religion it gives them some comfort.
ReplyDeleteWhy destroy their illusions if it is all they have for a brighter future or a happier life?
Wow thats deep!