Could it be that the famous 'Lithgow Panther' has made its way to the northern beaches?
A Frenchs Forest woman is adamant she has spotted a giant cat, which she believed to be a puma, twice in the past six weeks.
On
both occasions the woman said she saw what was believed to be a
supersized cat scramble into Garigal National Park while parking her car
near her home, located across the road from the bushland area.
"It was not a fox or a wallaby, it was definitely a really big cat," she said.
"I've been calling it a puma.
"I've copped a lot of flak because nobody believes me, but I'm 100 per cent."
The woman described the mysterious animal as being bigger than her American staffy, which weighs 40kg.
While she spotted it in the early hours of the morning on both occasions, she saw it clear as day with the headlights turned on.
"There was no way in hell I was going to get out (of the car) to find it," she said.
The Manly Daily
Facebook page has been inundated with scepticism over the sighting.
Anthony
Caruso said: "How did the Penrith Panther manage to cross Roseville
Bridge." Dave Nagel said: "The Lithgow Panther on holidays."
Last
September News Limited revealed the Department of Primary Industries was
holding an independent inquiry into "large free-ranging cats",
following representations by Hawkesbury MP Ray Williams, the
parliamentary secretary for Western Sydney.
There have been more than 600 sightings of the fanged beast over the past two decades.
Under
Former Premier Nathan Rees in 2008, a comprehensive inquiry into
panther sightings found: "It seems more likely than not on available
evidence that such animals do exist in NSW."
A Department of
Primary Industries policy document released in March last year advised
staff of what to do when the public reports "large feline
sightings".including to call the police when the public are concerned
for their safety.
Attacks on livestock are to be referred to the Livestock Health and Pest Authority for investigation.
The description of "large felines" in the policy document includes lions, tigers, leopards, pumas and cougars.
Staff
are advised they could also be referred to as "alien big cats",
"phantom cats" or the Blue Mountains, Emmaville, Lithgow or Richmond
Panther.source
