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Mystery Creature Roaming Sydney's Outskirts?

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songhrati

Gone But Not Forgotten
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From http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008 ... 369236.htm

New South Wales Premier Nathan Rees says rumours that a leopard inhabits bushland on Sydney's outskirts cannot be dismissed, because the safety of children could be at risk.

Talk of panthers or leopards in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury region has persisted for decades and there are almost 300 claimed sightings of a big cat in the area.

While there is still no conclusive proof such an animal roams Sydney's north-western fringes, Mr Rees says the animal cannot be discounted as an urban myth.

"I know I don't do policy on the run, but I think it's three years since Minister Campbell had a look at this, I think it's probably time to do it again," he said.

Z
 
Oh no, this thing is no Tassie Tiger - there was footage of it on TV a few years ago. It's a big black moggie alright - but I think just the above mentioned feral cat.

Oddly enough, the local Rugby team (and attached club and casino) have for ages been called the "Penrith Panthers".

Stories and pictures of this have been doing the rounds since, ah, I don't know when. Premier Rees is a new kid on the block and I think just trying get some attention - he needs to be seen doing "something" while Sydney's infrastructure remains a mess.
 
I dunno, that thing looked longer and leaner than any moggy I've seen before. Not quite leopard-size but still... possibly some kind of hybrid maybe? Or a melanised version of some small big cat?

On another note, what do you call a small big cat anyway?
 
LaurenChurchill said:
....On another note, what do you call a small big cat anyway?
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Mediocat...? Or you could take a idea from Starbucks and call it a "Grande" cat.
 
Wild cats do grow bigger (more muscular) than the domesticated ones - and they can have more fur - I think this is the solution.

But - that's just my 2 cents.
 
Look how many big cat sightings are reported, but you never hear of anyone getting attacked do you?

and you would think that a big cat wouldnt run they eat things biggeer than us!
 
The willingness of a big cat, or any large carnivore, to eat humans depends a lot on the circumstances. Although panthers/pumas/mountain lions/cougars/etc. were much-feared on the American frontier, this was mostly because their calls at night are so terrifying. The memoirs of early Texans repeatedly emphasize that the big cats (which might have included jaguars) were shy and would run away as soon as they spotted a human. This was undoubtedly wise, as early Texans invariably carried rifles and loved to shoot things. Easier prey was available. The same is not true in modern parks, so one is not shocked to hear of someone jogging in cougar country and getting eaten - with smaller prey species depopulated and the abundant ones like whitetail deer so wary, an oblivious human deafening himself with earphones and trotting along with his head down must look like easy meat. Yet these attacks are rare even where humans are encroaching onto big cat territory, and the information signs give instructions for self-defense that include making oneself look big and scary. The best defense is probably just paying attention, since cougars hunt by stealth, preferring to get the drop on prey (literally) and break their necks before they know what hits them. Let them know they've been spotted, and they'll find other prey. For the most part, big cats understand that we are dangerous, unpredictable critters who are better left alone.

If ABCs exist as biological entities rather than as fairies, then they must also be wild animals who understand how dangerous humans are and deliberately avoid us. It's the best explanation for their elusive behavior.
 
PeniG said:
If ABCs exist as biological entities rather than as fairies, then they must also be wild animals who understand how dangerous humans are and deliberately avoid us. It's the best explanation for their elusive behavior.
I think there are still some attacks were big cats have attacked humans while they have been carrying guns i think it depends on the cat! :lol:
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Def looks like big cats with some of the footage they showed, and the evidence to back it up and i think i would be worried too if some big cat was really close to where i lived :shock:
 
I don't know what the UK equivalent is, but ACA is tabloid trash TV at it worst and NOTHING they report on can be taken seriously.
There is a persistent rumour that the cats are the descendants of some released by US serviceman in Australia during the second world war, there is also allegedly a conspiracy to cover this up by the Parks and Wildlife department, so they don't have to deal with the problem. The same rumours exist about the Grampians in Victoria, I think the whole things is more urban myth than ABC, but I'd like to be wrong :)
 
DanTheGPI said:
I don't know what the UK equivalent is, but ACA is tabloid trash TV at it worst and NOTHING they report on can be taken seriously.
There is a persistent rumour that the cats are the descendants of some released by US serviceman in Australia during the second world war, there is also allegedly a conspiracy to cover this up by the Parks and Wildlife department, so they don't have to deal with the problem. The same rumours exist about the Grampians in Victoria, I think the whole things is more urban myth than ABC, but I'd like to be wrong :)
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Well we all know not eveything printed or posted is 100% true.

Im not sure of this is real or not cause some people do illegally keep biug cats!
 
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