Panthers in the Dark

AJames · #1 08-05-2007, 01:19 AM

On the usually sensationalism of "Today Tonight" (07/05/2007) they said that big cats - and the various melanistic variants - do currently occupy the Australian Bush.

They assumed they’re existence and state it is a Government cover up of the truth, but they were far from being very convincing about this..

If some black panther, and other such large cats, do live in the Australian bush, should deep-sky observers be worried?

After recently reading the odd problems of coyotes with our northern cousins within this site, I can just see some vicious feline animal "swipe in the dark" might be worrisome...

Has anyone thought while at some dark-sky site thought to have been "creeped out" by such an event??

casstony · #2 08-05-2007, 09:03 AM

One thing I like about the Australian bush is the lack of large pointy-toothed beasts - as long as you don't step on a snake you're fine.

I've spent a little time camping in Canadian and Californian forests and it can be hard to fall asleep when you're wondering what that sound was. We stopped to watch a bear raiding a roadside bin one time thinking it was a great observing opportunity; the bear wandered over to the car, stood up beside the drivers door (it was a tall vehicle) and looked directly through the window at me - maybe 2 feet away from my head - then wandered off. We won't be stopping to observe any more bears.

Living in Australia it's easy to be blase regarding foriegn wildlife, until you get a bit too close. I am confident that I won't be eaten in the Australian bush.

iceman (Mike) · #3 08-05-2007, 09:05 AM

I saw that on Today Tonight last night, was quite interesting and the video footage looks pretty conclusive!

duncan · #4 08-05-2007, 09:16 AM

Hi all,
Many years ago (early 70's) i used to go to a place called "Bones Knob" on the Atherton Tablelands to use CB radio. On driving back down in an LJ50 suzuki 4wd a large cat like animal crossed just in front of me. This animal was longer than the width of the vehicle, stood as high as the bonnet. It had verticle stripes and was a brown colour. It was duly reported and some experts came up to have a look around. They did find tracks and reckoned the paw prints were that of a panther. Now as far as i know Panthers are black not brown. Cross breed? They never did find the animal. But in the early days up here there were reports of large cats escaping from circuses etc. So who knows there just might be something lurking out there!!!

cahullian · #5 08-05-2007, 09:55 AM

I was scared half to death one night out at Kulnura whe Anthonys big black dog stuck his wet nose on the back of my hand. I can tell you I nearly jumped out of my skin and also needed a clean pair of undies too...

Gazz

erick (Eric) · #6 08-05-2007, 10:33 AM

After sunrise- a few bones, some torn clothing.........and the mount still tracking, camera up to several hours exposure!!

(I keep my car steering wheel lock within reach if I'm out on my own!)

[1ponders] (Paul) · #7 08-05-2007, 10:53 AM

Panthers are black leopards. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopard

And we won't mention the odd Thylacine sighting.

Ric · #8 08-05-2007, 01:00 PM

I think our Tassie friends might have a worry with the old Tassie Devil, they look like a cranky sort of beast.

Cheers

matt · #9 08-05-2007, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric

I think our Tassie friends might have a worry with the old Tassie Devil, they look like a cranky sort of beast.

I love 'em.

They're such aggro little buggers, they're funny

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #10 08-05-2007, 01:13 PM

They exist! Or at least they used to.

The Adelaide Hills have had many Panthers roaming around and even Mt. Warrenheip here in Ballarat!!!

When I worked at Kryal Castle (at the base of Mt. Warrenheip), the Zookeeper and I used to leave baits out to try capture one. They would creep around the outer wall where the Lions, Tigers, Pumas, and Panthers were caged. We saw them, but we where never able to catch one.

Apparently, as the story goes, the Americans brought them to Australia as thier Mascots, but let them go when they were being sent home. The Australian Army borrows one of the Lions (Winifred) from Kryal Castle as their Mascot for Parades etc. He's a lovely friendly fellow.

The Panther we had in Kryal Castle was a beautiful dark chocolate brown with Black spots, and not very freindly.

AJames · #11 08-05-2007, 07:33 PM

Perhaps the word "meow" has a new connotation!

acropolite (Phil) · #12 08-05-2007, 07:50 PM

I believe that, as Ken stated, US military troops did have the black cats as mascots and abandoned them when they left the country. The sad thing is that it's not a new story, I saw a docco (I think on the ABC) on the subject many years ago, how the media can re-present it as an unsolved mystery case amazes me.

casstony · #13 08-05-2007, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acropolite

how the media can re-present it as an unsolved mystery case amazes me.

Today Tonight and the like are about entertainment rather than news. At least while they're chasing pussycats they're leaving their Human targets alone.

h0ughy (David) · #14 08-05-2007, 11:01 PM

whiskas - tap tap

come on guys get a grip its only a cat!

duncan · #15 09-05-2007, 10:05 AM

A Damn BIG cat! LOL

ving (David) · #16 09-05-2007, 11:54 AM

i was bass fishing near camden once... rod in hand and backpack on was was following what seemed like a rabbit trail that followed the river when about15 m ahead i saw a large black shapemoving swiftly and silently away from me... i swear it looked cat like.

Kal (Andrew) · #17 09-05-2007, 02:31 PM

I was driving to melbourne once with a mate and I saw two wolves running along the side of the road. I saw them and couldn't believe it, I turned to my mate hoping he had seen it and he turned to me and said "did you see that? I hope you saw that" and I said "two wolves!" and we knew we weren't seeing things!

Haven't seen a panther yet, but I have bushwalked through the bush alone by starlight (no moon, had a torch but didn't use it) at Bowen mountain, where apparently there have been 8 reported sightings for a 'large black panther like cat' . I freaked when an owl flew low overhead and landed in a tree a few metres from me and it made me turn around!

Outbackmanyep · #18 09-05-2007, 04:37 PM

At the moment the panther is the most useless animal on the planet.....they cant score! they drop too much ball! they lost to the Dragons

! They're 2nd last on the food chain.......and the way they are living at the moment they could be taking away a wooden spoon!
Although........
They could turn it around this week against the common enemy....not the judean peoples front...... but the cowboys!

GO THE PANTHERS!

Outbackmanyep · #19 09-05-2007, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casstony

Today Tonight and the like are about entertainment rather than news. At least while they're chasing pussycats they're leaving their Human targets alone.

ACA and Today Tonight are 2 programs that always do things like this! You watch it rotate...its the panther , next it'll be people who watched our program and saw one and decided to tell their story....next it'll be "beat up on the repair industry".....and then it'll be about medical miracles.....and then about the drought.......

dwyman · #20 10-05-2007, 09:11 AM

"The dingos ate my baby"