Big Cats

[santaman2000]

i definatly beleive they are here, but whats interesting is that people report big cats, so panthers, which are effectivly melanistic (black) leopards, however melanisum is a recessive gene, so even two menanistic animals are unlikley to produce melanistic ofspring.

the biggest cats in the country that are breeding are most likley to be pumas, which is what i reckon JD's skull was, as its definatly not of the panthera genus in my opinion...

Copied from Wikipedia: A black panther is typically a melanistic color variant of any of several species of larger cat. Wild black panthers in Latin America are black jaguars (Panthera onca), in Asia and Africa they are black leopards (Panthera pardus), and in North America they may be black jaguars or possibly black cougars (Puma concolor – although this has not been proven to have a black variant), or smaller cats.[1][2]...

The cougar (Puma concolor), also known as puma, mountain lion, mountain cat, catamount or panther, depending on the region, is a mammal of the family Felidae, native to the Americas...



True enough it isn't in the panthera genus but "Puma" is only one name for a cat that inhabits and thrives in multiple climates/habitats on two continents. It has many other names according to exactly where in that range you are. In fact the word "Puma" was once only used of in the native language peoples of the Amazon where the word originated.

However what puzzles me is how unconfirmed reports always (well almost anyway) are of "black" cats. It is a very rare characteristic in normal, documented species.

 

[gowersponger]

i belive the black fox has been mistaken for the black cat more than a few times i no it looks nothing like a cat when you look at a pic but in the dark as its running it would, i still belive in the cats and hope they prove it

 

[Callum]

Hi All

About 7 years ago I saw a mountain lion leap across the road in front of my car in Aberdeenshire. I was on my way to work at 7am, saw it clear as day.

It jumped over a hedge landed in the middle of the road and jumped over the hedge on the other side in a single bound.

I've never told anyone about the sighting because a; no one would have beleived me, and b; Why would I

Callum

 

[Soundmixer]

Callum,

You don't live near Alford do you?

 

[Callum]

Hi Soundmixer

I don't, but I saw the cat in the general vicinity.

 

[Soundmixer]

Interesting.......

 

[Schism]

I used to work on an Estate farm near Brampton in cumbria, when i arrived i was told of the rumours of a big cat in the area and dismissed it but after the amount of time o spent collecting dead Ewes from the fields some with some incredible wounds i have to admit i was starting to believe them, 99% of the time the carcas would be completley stripped by the time i got there but there was one or 2 with severe lacerations and some very obvious markings on the bones.

I dont see why they cant be out there but you would expect a bit more "proper" evidence by now.