Hawkesbury Panther or big cat alpaca attack

[Mike Williams]

Hawkesbury Panther or big cat alpaca attack
BY KIETLEY ISRIN
09 Nov, 2011 11:49 AM
IT’S been a while since the notorious Hawkesbury big cat has been spotted roaming properties and bushland in the Hawkesbury, but a recent alpaca attack at Bilpin has provided more evidence of its existence.
A Bilpin family is distraught after their pet alpaca was mauled to death last week by what they think was a big black cat.

On the morning of Friday, November 4, at about 3am, the Bells Line of Road property owners John and Amanda (surnames withheld by request) were woken by their dog which was barking hysterically.

John said when he went outside to see what was going on he could see ‘Jabaru’ the alpaca, but when the family left to drop the kids off to school they made the gruesome discovery.

“At first we thought it may have been wild dogs that got through the fence and ripped him apart but when we walked around and saw the foot-prints and teeth marks we knew no dogs could do that. It was too neat an attack,” John said.

With concerns about what had actually killed the loved family pet, John and Amanda contacted Grose Vale’s Chris Coffey who has been maintaining a database of sightings of big cats, and she confirmed their doubts that it was not a dog attack. “It was definitely not a dog attack, it was a cat,” she said.

“I knew straight away when I saw the paw print and photos that it was absolutely a big cat and I have every reason to believe this.

“I have seen too much of it and I know the difference between a dog attack and a cat attack.

“When a dog attacks it’s scattered, but when a big cat attacks it’s very clean.”

The pictures and pawprints have since been analysed by experts who have also verified it to be a big cat attack. “There’s nothing else out there that could do something like this,” Mrs Coffey said. “There were four canine (long-pointed teeth as opposed to the teeth of a dog) teeth marks on the alpaca about 7cm wide – two on the top of the head and two below the jaw.”

http://www.hawkesburygazette.com.au/new ... 52352.aspx

[PAF]

So who can find out which big cats have a space of about 7cm between their 2 canines when mature?

That could clear up a few things about what type/group of big cat it could be

[Mike Williams]

The problem is..that might not have been the real width of the canines.
If the skin is loose..the canine width does not always match the width in the muscle itself under the skin.
Or the skin has changed/loosened/tightened etc since the attack due to time/heat/cold etc..
And..was the measurement from the outside of both canines..or the inside..? ..and people can measure the same thing and at those dimensions come up with different figures..yad yad yada..
It would have been great to measure the actual muscle when fresh.
But they photographed the animal and then buried it.
The owner stayed up the next night with someone else..and they heard a low rumbling growl..and shone a torch on to a large black animal with bright green eyes which then bolted very fast.

[horserider]

Well it doesnt even have to take a child for it to be serious enough that the govt stops covering it up! Apart from damages, & killing stock, they are killing loved family pets!!! If the cat took my pomeranian i would be ... not sure what word to use here


As much as i am against cruelty to animals, one does need to be shot, i mean taking one life will prove they ARE HERE & than save our pets lives & possibly kids! (thats if they havnt already been snatching bushwalkers that disappeared into thin air)

I am against killing as i said but when something comes onto your land to brutilly maul your loved ones I think its time somethings done about it!!

Would be good to know these guys have a double barrel somewhere kept for farm protection purposes which in this case the case fits!