Two big cat sightings raise suspicions Lithgow Panther is living in the northern beaches
- Manly Daily
- January 09, 2014
A photo of the alleged Lithgow Panther, said to have been spotted roaming other parts of NSW.
Source: Supplied
Could it be that the famous 'Lithgow Panther' has made its way to the northern beaches?
A Frenchs Forest woman is adamant she has spotted a giant cat, which she believed to be a puma, twice in the past six weeks. On
both occasions the woman said she saw what was believed to be a
supersized cat scramble into Garigal National Park while parking her car
near her home, located across the road from the bushland area."It was not a fox or a wallaby, it was definitely a really big cat," she said. "I've been calling it a puma. "I've copped a lot of flak because nobody believes me, but I'm 100 per cent."
A plaster cast of a paw print collected in 1999 in the Lithgow area that could be that of a panther.
Source: News Limited
While she spotted it in the early hours of the morning on both occasions, she saw it clear as day with the headlights turned on. "There was no way in hell I was going to get out (of the car) to find it," she said.
It's official: the phantom big black cat is back
The Manly Daily Facebook page has been inundated with scepticism over the sighting.
Anthony Caruso said: "How did the Penrith Panther manage to cross Roseville Bridge." Dave Nagel said: "The Lithgow Panther on holidays."
Last September News Limited revealed the Department of Primary Industries was holding an independent inquiry into "large free-ranging cats", following representations by Hawkesbury MP Ray Williams, the parliamentary secretary for Western Sydney.
The alleged Lithgow panther, which is said to have roamed Penrith, the Hawkesbury, Lithgow and the Blue Mountains for years.
Source: Supplied
Under Former Premier Nathan Rees in 2008, a comprehensive inquiry into panther sightings found: "It seems more likely than not on available evidence that such animals do exist in NSW."
A Department of Primary Industries policy document released in March last year advised staff of what to do when the public reports "large feline sightings".including to call the police when the public are concerned for their safety.
Attacks on livestock are to be referred to the Livestock Health and Pest Authority for investigation.
The description of "large felines" in the policy document includes lions, tigers, leopards, pumas and cougars.
Staff are advised they could also be referred to as "alien big cats", "phantom cats" or the Blue Mountains, Emmaville, Lithgow or Richmond Panther.
An undated impression of the Lithgow panther.
Source: News Limited
Lithgow, where giant cat sightings have occurred for decades. Picture: Stephen Cooper.
Source: News Limited
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Man reports seeing 2 cougars in Oakland County
Posted: 01/08/2014
New
Hudson, Michigan (WXYZ) - It was just after seven in the morning
earlier this week. Nate Rymarz says he was drinking coffee near his
kitchen window when he saw two huge animals running through his yard.He says he jumped up, opened the door to get a better look, and just yards away he saw two running cats--big cats. “I have been out to Colorado, and seen them out there,” said Rymarz. “Not expecting cougars in New Hudson, Michigan.”
He started talking to neighbors in his subdivision not far from Martindale and Grand River. He learned one other man saw the two cats. “I took pictures of the tracks. I called police, called DNR. They said there has actually been reports of them in the area,” said Rymarz.
The recent snow storm covered up the tracks. The 7 Action News team took his pictures to an expert with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. He said usually a big cat can be ruled out as the creature who left tracks after such a sighting. In this case, it can’t be determined that this wasn’t a cougar. It simply isn’t clear what created the tracks.
Nearby, at Island Lake State Park, workers say they received reports of large cat sightings last year, but workers have never been able to find evidence there was actually a cougar, mountain lion, or any other type of wild cat.
Kensington Metro Park is also close, but managers say they have received no such reports there.
While the DNR has received calls about cougars in the lower peninsula, it has not been able to confirm any are there in decades. There have been cases where they determined a witness misidentified another animal, in some cases a dog or coyote, as a cat. “It was a 70-80 pound cat,” said Rymarz.
What he saw has he and his girlfriend Erin Curry concerned. They fear a cougar might see their dogs as dinner. “We are worried,” said Curry.
Given the uncertainty, we looked up what to do should you encounter a mountain lion or cougar. Animal experts say do not turn and run. Keep eye contact with the cat. If you look away, a cat is more likely to attack. Make yourself look as large as possible with gestures. Make low noises and slowly back away while facing the cat, giving the cat room to escape.
Cougars are most active at night. They can travel far fast, as much as 15 miles in a night. They often have a home range of as much as 150 square miles per wild life experts.
UPDATE:
A short time after this story aired we got calls from other people who live in the area. They, too, report seeing a large cat that they believe might be a cougar.
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