Cryptozoology Otway/Grampians/Blue Mountains Big Cat

[RobbyRoy]

I definitely believe it's possible, maybe even likely, that leopards and cougars have been seen roaming wild in Australia. But it definitely isn't a "thing" i.e. wild populations of these great cats. I think the vast majority of sightings are simply feral cats. I've done field work in Western Australia in which a 6kg immature female cat was trapped and weighed. Doesn't sound huge, but that's a female that is likely to grow 2-3kg heavier than your average domestic tomcat, in an area not notorious for producing big feral cats. Colleagues have also described to me cats a whole lot bigger than this, possibly heading towards the 15kg region (the weight of a Kelpie, for reference).

It seems NT has been finding some big ones too- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-04/huge-feral-cats-arnhem-land/4731696

You can also pretty much rule out interbreeding forming a hybrid population of larger than normal cats. Leopards you can definitely rule out; if not on size alone, leopards are a member of the subfamily Pantherinae, where as domestic cats are in Felinae. Cougars are also in Felinae, and although I've forgot almost everything I learned in my Genetics units, I'm fairly sure they are too distantly related to reproduce together. Just to contradict myself and leave it open for discussion, Cougars and Leopards can interbreed and produce offspring, and Cougars have interbred with the much smaller Ocelot, which in turn can interbreed with Domestic Cats.

 

[Werewolf]

Latest story: Lithgow panther an enduring mystery amid hundreds of sightings, claims of a cover-up

 

[Thegibbsgamble]

Before denying the obvious. They would of removed all evidence

 

[Baby Duck]

My cousins who live out in Wensleydale right near the edge of the Otways rainforests discovered one of their sheep way up a tree once. Dead obviously, all chewed to bits. They also found some tracks and made a plaster cast of one. So yeah, they are definitely in the region.

On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Duritz]

it was only a kitten aswell

And you should have seen the one that got away!

 

[thejockey]

Family friends of ours have lived in Gippsland for generations , they are as straight down the line as you get.

They’ve all seen them and talk about it like it’s a semi regular occurrence to see one.
From memory the great grandfather had a close encounter/escape with one when he was protecting there livestock , that would have been in the 60s .

 

[van peebles]

Family friends of ours have lived in Gippsland for generations , they are as straight down the line as you get.

They’ve all seen them and talk about it like it’s a semi regular occurrence to see one.
From memory the great grandfather had a close encounter/escape with one when he was protecting there livestock , that would have been in the 60s .

I was reared at cape otway and can confirm two definite sightings .
We also lived at wilsons promontory and it was taken as a given that the big cats existed.
When i was a kid(hate saying that)we rarely saw other people as roads didnt allow.

 

[Present Not Past]

Since the extinction of the Australian (Tasmanian) Tiger the Australian mainland has not had a large predator.
It does now. Evolution finds a way.

 

[Wallaby]

I think this cartoon is relevant................

 

[William Wonka]

I think this cartoon is relevant................

I tend to agree, however dozens of big cat species DO exist, this can be proven beyond doubt with a quick visit to the zoo.

Not quite the same as little green men and poltergeists.

 

[brutus76]

My maths teacher for year 9 and 10 (Mr Smith) was adamant he twice saw a black panther at the Grampians (Gariwerd). Once in the 70's and once in the 80's (he taught me in the 90s). Said it probably wasn't the same one and in his opinion could aptly survive and breed in the forest.

 

[chelseacarlton]

Had family friends that ran cattle at the base of Mt Macedon on the northern side,beautiful views over to Hanging Rock.
They swear by their stories of big cats,definitely not feral,the fear in their faces and voices were enough to convince me of conviction!

 

[Werewolf]

Puma sightings reported in Australia inspire new big cat documentary

A former Australia Zoo big cat keeper says an elusive population of wild pumas and panthers reportedly seen in the Australian wilderness could be long-escaped animals from travelling circuses, or former military mascots.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Wallaby]

Puma sightings reported in Australia inspire new big cat documentary

A former Australia Zoo big cat keeper says an elusive population of wild pumas and panthers reportedly seen in the Australian wilderness could be long-escaped animals from travelling circuses, or former military mascots.

www.abc.net.au

Yeah, yeah - same old stories. Oh well, they have a TV show to sell - let me know when they have any decent evidence.

 

[00Stinger]

I know someone who lives up near the grampian area who isn't bat s**t crazy and swears black and blue that they have seen the big cat twice

 

[ioppolo]

Not strictly related to the thread title, but check out some of these pictures.

Researcher catches huge feral cats on camera roaming in Australian outback

A photo of a huge, stripy feral cat eating a goanna in the Simpson Desert caught attention on Twitter last week, after researcher Emma Spencer shared the shocking image online.

amp.news.com.au

There are some huge feral cats roaming about, easy to mistake them for something much larger.

 

[PoppedCorn]

For sure, big for a feral house cat.

But it's not the big black one sighted in the blues

 

[Wallaby]

We have lots of photos - clear photos - of big feral cats. We have tracks, we have remains.

But we have none of the black panthers.

 

[PoppedCorn]

Are u part of a cryptozoology team?

 

[Wallaby]

Nope.

Just waiting to see some film or photos. That would be cool.

By the way, I'd also like to see the photos of the big cats in Gippsland and the Otways, Black panthers in Cornwall, Gloucestershire, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Germany, and the various lions and pumas from around the world.

These legends are everywhere around the world. It's usually big cats, because panthers and such are cool. It's never hyenas, or zebras or capybaras or armadillos or other dull animals.

But I live in hope.......

 

[RobbyRoy]

Not strictly related to the thread title, but check out some of these pictures.

Researcher catches huge feral cats on camera roaming in Australian outback

A photo of a huge, stripy feral cat eating a goanna in the Simpson Desert caught attention on Twitter last week, after researcher Emma Spencer shared the shocking image online.

amp.news.com.au

There are some huge feral cats roaming about, easy to mistake them for something much larger.

Cools pictures. Not surprising they can get that big with the monopoly they have on prey once established.

Getting further off topic but there is a monster cat in my (regular moderately populated Perth) suburb. You see big cats then you see ones like this and you do a double take. Owners say he weighs over 7kg but haven't weighed him in a while.