Weird Animal the one I PM M&R found 10km from my area.

[The yowie Mrx]

Hey Mike & R

This is about the story I PM you.About the Hyena at Green Valley farm.
It looks like it was a cover up.By the news paper & the Gov.
And I ran into the bloke that killed it and it didn't happen at Warialda at all.



Warialda Wild Dog or Copeton Cat?

Story and image courtesy of LL Staffers

It was late October 1983 and the Salmon brothers, Col and Bill were out pig chasing just east of Warialda. It was like any other trip out that way looking for pigs and roos. What transpired next still has many shaking their heads in disbelief, even 28 years later.

They saw what looked like a wild dog and began their chase finally locating and killing the animal for they knew they were doing many local farmers a favour. It was when they loaded the dog onto the back of the truck and had a closer look that they realised this was no ordinary dog. For a start it had an 'ungainly gait' and claws over three centimetres long and things got stranger from there.

Coupled with large nipples and small genitals the brothers were not sure what they had caught, for it looked like a wild dog but seemed 'different.'

As a result the animal was sent to Dr. De Bavay at UNE and while he was initially non-committal it didn't take long for De Bavay's interest to be heightened. He took a trip to the location and preliminarily concluded that the wild dog must have been a stray that went feral. Still, something bothered him so he dug further.

"I was convinced it had some sort of disease but I had never encountered anything like it," said De Bavay.

"It was just bizarre."

The Salmon brothers had chased the dog with their sheep dogs for over a kilometre and there was something not right with how it looked to recount their version of events.

"It was the weirdest dog I had encountered," said Bill.

"It made no noise and didn't threaten any violence towards our dogs even when bailed up and cornered," he continued.

"It then made a coughing noise like a kangaroo," added Col.

When the dog had turned to run Col picked up a rock and threw it 15 metres striking the dog flush on the back of the head and killed it instantly.

Upon sending the skin to De Bavay, it was finally concluded that the skin and the animal was not a dog at all but in fact a type of wild cat. All the tell-tale signs on the body pointed to as much. There has also been a history of cat sightings and even a killing in the region of a cat in 1902.

More recently, in the 1960s, a sheep carcass was found turned 'inside out' and with the meat carefully eaten - not typical of a wild dog or dingo but akin to that of a big cat. Comparisons between that event and the animal found by the Salmon brothers were made and it does raise an interesting question.

[Darwinist]

Very interesting MrX!!
Any chance of meeting the guy again?
Photo looks like a dog all right, but also looks strange.
Do you know if the picture was taken before or after they pelted it (except for the head)?
Did your source make any comments on the pelt: colour, texture? and the gender - I take it that it was female from description?
Any other photos of the critter, and what is the source of the picture?
What about the good Dr. Is he still alive, and did he do a paper on his findings?
Yeah, I know: a lot of questions, to which you may not have any answers, but I have many more Just very interested!

Like your research

[The yowie Mrx]

I might see a mate of a mates , mate on friday.
and try to get more info.Or get a phone number if you like?
I was not here in the 80's so I don't no much about it.The newspaper cliping is at green valley farm , Mike has rang them but I don't think he got this thred.I think he has all ready left.
So it looks like theres a lot more to the story.

[topender]

Just a thought..if this critter is a feral that is a result of 6-7+ generations of feral existence then i would not be surprised to see some physical changes in the animals..adaption to the envoiroment, ive seen it in feral cats , darwins theory of natural selection and adaption to envoiroment speeded up...............you may say ppffffttttt c**p, but ive seen some massive feral cats that have morphed into.Bloody Big Cats..huge heads, huge paws and claws that would slice and dice.



cheers

[The yowie Mrx]

hi topender

you may say ppffffttttt c**p...Not at all.There has been alot of big cat sightings all over New England.I my self have seen big black cats here and the Blue Mt .And thay look the same, I say there all feral cat.

This is why I don't research big cat!

[Darwinist]

I might see a mate of a mates , mate on friday.
and try to get more info.Or get a phone number if you like?

Please do! and an e-mail adress, if possible.
Stay on the track!

[Mike Williams]

Hi Mr X, thanks for that...sorry..I have not been checking the forum much lately..
Its a canid with some form of contact dermatitus/mange.
By chance, several years ago, i was given a couple of the original photos of the same animal you posted..
The bottom photo is not the same animal but shows you a similar type of skin discolouration which is a supposedly associated with this horrible condition..

Mike

[NoPolys]

I've seen the piebald look on a few mange animals, don't know what causes it or if it's a secondary issue, but it happens. You see a gray cast to the skin (old hair still hanging on) and pink spoltches....... Wear Gloves !!

Cheers

Nopolys

[The yowie Mrx]

Thanx Mike for the dermatitus/mange...lol..So when I'm out in my research area I have to look out for wild dogs with mange comeing at me.. cheers mate.

And I hope you and ruby have a safe trip!When you go looking for that little haryman.Whats it called the orup pingto?

Thanx NoPolys I will wear them Gloves cheers mate.

[NoPolys]

Mr X;

While most people will tell you sarcoptic mange is not transferable to humans..... it is, we call it scabies. Additionally, the condition in animals causes such a large infection, typically you can depend they will have other skin borne challenges http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mange. Latex or nitrile gloves, and a serious washup after handling. It saves you a lot of issues later. Notice a wombat as one of the examples in google images http://www.google.com.au/images?hl=en&b ... d=0CEYQsAQ

I'm a bit of an attention to detail person on this and a few other "common" skin problems. If you see grey short hair, "hot spots" or bald spots on an animal, always use some barrier protection. nah, forget what I just said...... use gloves all the time... This especially applies to those of us that are hair sample collectors....

Cheers
Nopolys

[The yowie Mrx]

Hi NoPolys......A BIG THANX FOR THE INFO!

We do get some area's that have, what people call bush mite's.This mite will bit you for three days and then die.this mite sound like your sarcoptic mange .?

I have had a Q-fever needle to protecked me from tiks or Q-fever.
If any one go's out in the bush you shound get a Q-fever shot.