Big Cats in your neck of the woods?

An albino version of many animals has not been caught or captured, but I'm not willing to rule out the fact that it can occur...Do you have scientific proof that the melanistic trait does not occur in some species? I'm not asking to be rhetorical or sarcastic I'm honestly interested as this kinda thing is interesting to me because of my hobby.

And if black isn't a favorable color for any wildlife species, then why did the Black Bear develop a black coat?

A picture speaks a thousand words.

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Profound. I'm not sure what it means, but profound nonetheless. lol

I am a member of a wildlife forum. The subject of a large black cat native to the U.S. has been the subject of many discussions for many years. You can go to the forum and read what has been posted. The site is www.mdwfp.com, go to the forums an look under any thread about big cat, black panther. I am not a scientist but have done quite a bit of studying genetics. Like I stated in an earlier post, there may be different color large cats but there hasn't never been any proof that they exist. It would seem like with so many people looking for these large black cats and with all of the rewards offered there would be someone who would be able to show some proof they are actual cats like that.

The melanistic trait does not appear in many different species of wild animals. You can do some research on the subject and learn much more than I can ever explain. Yes, there is a black bear but you will notice very few species of wildlife are black. Below is a quote from a well known naturalist and cougar research scientist.

"Though a popular myth, black panthers do not exist in the wild in North America. A black panther is a melanistic version of a large cat, usually an African leopard or a jaguar. These can sometimes be seen in zoos. Melanistic refers to the unusual black coloration produced by a hereditary, genetic mutation. There has never been a black mountain lion documented anywhere in their range."

Below is from The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

There is no species of "black panther." The large black cats seen in zoos or used by media outlets are usually either the black (or melanistic) phase of jaguars or leopards. Some species of wild felines, especially those that are spotted as adults (including bobcats) have melanistic or black color phases. This color phase is unusual. However, there has never been a black or melanistic panther, cougar, or mountain lion documented in the wild or in captivity.


It would be a lot easier for some one to prove there is a large black cat native to the U.S. rather than trying to prove there isn't. It is very hard to prove a negative. All it would take is a single hair of such an animal or a single photo.

Have heard of blue colored tigers thru cryptozoology websites. Apparently only in one area of Asia.....

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Bobcats are apparantly common around here,I saw one trot across the road in Miami co. last year. DH saw a cougar run across the road a couple years ago outside Paola,KS. I have seen very large tracks near here,and heard odd screaming sounds in the woods. I need to find that website that has the wildlife recordings again.

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I've seen a wolf in the Mayhill (near Carlsbad) area of New Mexico...I almost hit it with the car.

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Walking in the Guadelupe Mountain National Park once, I felt the presence and studied the terrain surrounding me as I walked up Devil's Hall Trail. I was by myself. I kept saying over and over to myself, "Act big, stand tall." Never saw a cat, but it was there.

Out at the farm, Hubby saw a dead bobcat and, very close by, a small dead cougar on the side of the road. He figured someone had done away with them then dumped them there.

We've heard cat screams at night. Kinda' eerie.

Quite a while back, when my son was about three years old or so, we visited a zoo. There was one enclosure for the jaguars that was really nice, large area, rock 'cave.' There was a VERY high fence with inward-facing wires at the top. My son and I were walking along by the area. As my toddler son passed by, a very large male cat took extreme interest in him. As one does when one visits a zoo, we stopped to admire the exhibit, my son playing at my side, but kinda moving up and down along the sidewalk there. That cat was in stalking mode, going back and forth up close to the cage, watching every move my boy was making. It got kinda' spooky so we made on around the corner to the next exhibit.

Point being: a small child is, for the large cat, like a mouse to a housecat would be.

doohap

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doohap
all standing tall & looking big will do is make the lion think you are abetter meal, remember the big toms regularly take down 600# plus bull elk and have taken 900# horses.

You're probably right ...
Never have really been put to the test. Maybe I read that somewhere and took it to heart. Anyway, I was glad no cat showed up there on that trail. It (the trail) runs up between high rock walls. Beautiful, beautiful place. white stone on the canyon bottom, madrone trees, fall's colors at that time. Lot's of places where cats could hide. There had been informational warning signs posted at the visitor's center and the cats are mentioned in the park brochures. I was alone, though there were other hikers on the trail that day. I'm sure I was just hypersensitive to the possiblities.

Peace,
doohap

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Is there any truth to the rumor that if you face them, they won't attack? I remember reading something about Africans wearing face masks backwards so that there was a face on both sides of their body. Evidently a lion won't attack if this exists?

A little while back someone had a video on the net, it showed a deer, looked like a white tail, being stalked by a black cat. The cat kept going from one side of a clearing to the other, all the while getting closer to the deer. Unless the video was doctored, I'm telling you the cat was black. I'm not tech savy, don't know how difficult it would be to change the cat's color on the screen. I don't remember where I saw the clip. It was a very convincing video.

I've read or seen on tv about some folks wear a mask. I would have to be wearing a mask if they saw a face cause without a mask all they would see is hindparts and elbows.I'd be 10/8 an strolling. Haven't you noticed that those folks that wear those mask also manage to win every foot race they enter.LOL

It was tigers and the Indian government found the masks to be effective for a time in preventing tiger attacks.

http://www.lairweb.org.nz/tiger/maneating11.html

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http://inthekitchenwithdon.blogspot.com/

We have had bobcat around here a long time. There is one over back now. They'll kill my goats if I don't have the guard dog, I learned that over the years.

I have seen a black panther on my farm in south-central TN, just above the NE Alabama state line. I have a friend who shot video of one under his clothesline. His backyard abuts the Bankhead National Forest in NW Alabama. Upon showing it to state game officials, they said, "That is a large black feline in excess of 100 pounds, but you did not hear it here. They officially do not exist in Alabama."

Here's video of one filmed 25 miles south of Selma, AL, stalking deer.


So we have a sighting by me just 7 miles above the northeast Alabama border, a video shot in northwest Alabama, and a video shot in southern Alabama. Hmmm...

The Cherokee have always said this area is the panther's true home but it was driven off. There is a prophecy that when it returns, it is a sign of great changes to come.

Stuff like that interests me.

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Sweetpea Farms
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Great site! Thanks for posting.

Smiles,
doohap

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Pretty awesome. Thanks.

Peace,
doohap

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LOL...my neighbor, on whose land the bobcat has a lair, denies its existence. LOL. He says there are no such cats here. It amazes me how people can live IN the country and yet not be OF the country, if you know what I mean. I'm no biologist, but I am a good observer.

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Jim Steele
Sweetpea Farms
"To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing." -- Robert Gates

That looks like a leopard to me. Its seems too lean and short to be a panther. It also doesnt really seem to be stalking, it is out in the open and just looking like it isnt sure what to do. Possibly escaped from a hunting reserve or private zoo. Interesting though.

woops, if you read the description of the video it says its a leopard, my mistake I hadnt seen that first.

jaguarundi

These have been seen and photographed in the Bankhead Forrest Management Area in Alabama. That would be very close to Shrek. I have seen the pictures of them and know several hunters who've seen them.

These sometimes BLACK cats are migrating to this area from Central America.

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