Originally Posted by
Devilwin
Recently, I posted about the effort to release pumas back into NC, and the fact that the big cats may be already extending their range back into our state. This was buoyed by a game trail cam picture of a female puma in Tennessee. For years, people have reported sightings of big cats, many of these mystery cats were black.
There is no native cat in our state that is black (although a blackish colored bobcat was photographed in a western state), and pumas, if they still exist here, are never black. Melanism, or the tendency to produce black coats, seems to be limited to spotted cats, such as the jaguar and the leopard. Neither of these cats are found in our state, except in captivity. Yet people still report sightings of "black panthers". Pumas have always been called panthers, along with a host of other names (mountain lion, cougar, etc) yet this animal, if it does exist here, does so in very small numbers. So what are these folks seeing? First, I think many of these black felines seen are nothing more than large feral house cats, where depth perception makes the animal look larger than it is. Also, a glimpse of a large black dog in car headlights may make folks think they've seen a panther.
Granted, there is always the chance that exotic pets may be released or escaped, but these animals would soon be brought to book as they would have no clue as how to hunt, and would most likely turn up around human habitation, searching for easy food sources.
In the winter of 1953 to 1954, a large black cat like animal killed and mangled several dogs and some livestock near the town of Bladenboro. Dubbed the "Beast of Bladenboro", the animal was seen by several people. When a local hunter killed a large male bobcat, everyone thought the killer was done for. Problem is, the cat was much smaller than the real killer, only around 40 pounds, and it was not likely even a large bobcat would attack three large dogs at once. Then, goats and calves began to turn up dead, killed in the same manner as the dogs.
Eventually the killing spree halted, and no big cat was produced.
Again, what are people seeing? Is there a small population of black jaguars running loose in our eastern swamps? The jaguar would be the most logical candidate, as jaguars do enter the US from time to time, and once roamed over this country before the last ice age.
But, if there are jaguars here, where are the spotted ones? Black jaguars make up only around 15% of the population, and most of these are found in the Amazon River basin, not in Mexico. The puma can be eliminated because of its coloration, unless there are black specimens science does not know about, which is hardly factual. Another culprit may be the jaguarundi, a small otter like cat that comes in dark gray and reddish colored specimens. But this feline of Central and South America and Mexico is between a house cat and bobcat in size. It does appear in the US from time to time.
Large black felines have been sighted in many states, mainly in the south, but also in a few northern states such as Illinois and Michigan. They have also been a part of Native American tribes legends for centuries.
I include a list of some sightings here, from North Carolina. Also, a puma killed a mountain biker in Washington state this weekend..
Date: 4/23/78 Asheville
Man and Wife saw a large black cat sitting on a rock off the Blue Ridge Parkway. It turned and disappeared into the forest. Estimated to be over six feet long including the long tail.
6/12/87 Man in Shallotte, NC, saw a huge black cat crossing a logging road in the Green Swamp. Animal growled at him and ran swiftly away. Estimated to be as big as his lab dog, but much heavier.
9/14/90 Waxhaw
Three hikers saw a large black cat dragging a deer it had killed across a meadow. They watched the animal for around 10 minutes before it went out of sight. Animal was around seven feet long including the long tail, and very stockily built.
8/17/97 Pinnacle
Farmer making his rounds on his dairy farm saw a large black cat walking in one of his pastures. He went to retrieve his rifle, but the cat had vanished when he returned. The animal left tracks nearly as big as his hand.
2/13/03 Henderson
Lady saw large black cat stalking her hogs. She screamed at it, and the animal took a few steps in her direction, then turned and made off through the forest. Cat was nearly seven feet long and thick bodied.
These are just a few of hundreds of reports.