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Hikers Find 'Sizeable Cat Print' In Australia And Fuel Rumours Of 'Lithgow Panther'

Hikers Find 'Sizeable Cat Print' In Australia And Fuel Rumours Of 'Lithgow Panther'

Could this be the elusive animal?

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

It seems like every region has its own folk tale that has been running for years, decades even.

Well, the Blue Mountains in New South Wales has one too - it's all about a mysterious black panther. Surely a creature like this couldn't exist without being spotted, right? Well, over the years there have been hundreds of eyewitness accounts swearing to have seen the animal.

No one has ever been able to capture hard evidence of this elusive animal, but one group has stumbled upon some compelling stuff.

Hikers going through the Blue Mountains came across this animal track in the ground and it's sparked a very big conversation.

The Blue Mountains Explore Instagram page wrote: "Yesterday a few of the #lostmtns team headed out (into the middle of nowhere) and found this. Wanting to have a some confirmation before we posted this, we contacted the 'Hunting Association of Australia' and sent through all footage and pictures.

"They confirmed it was a sizable cat print."

*Cue dramatic, tense and ominous music*

The post continued: "Of course everyone will have their opinion, however consider this. It had been raining non-stop until yesterday.

bluemtns_explore/Instagram

"All tracks had been washed out by the rain, so the tracks were all soft and fresh. We were also in the middle of nowhere (so no humans had been there, no tracks, nothing). Even if it wasn't a cat, these prints show something large is running around.

"This continues to fuel our ambition to find whatever is out there."

It didn't seem like everyone who had seen the post was a believer, with many suggesting the tracks could have been from a wallaby.

One person said: "Sorry to bust the bubble but it's wallaby prints...I've seen this before when I walked the Wollemi north to south....the feet have just landed close together."

Could this bad boy be lurking in the Blue Mountains?
Rute Martins of Leoa's Photography

Another added: "This is very likely macropod tracks. A bipedal hop (hopping of both hind feet), and going by the size, perhaps a small to medium macropod like a swamp wallaby or red-necked wallaby."

Aw come on now, don't spoil our fun.

According to ABC, there have been 560 sightings of a black panther in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury area since 1998. These eyewitness accounts have come from National Parks rangers, doctors, solicitors, police detectives and other sources which could reasonably be described as credible.

It wouldn't be completely out of the question, either, considering Australia had an exotic wildlife trade in the 19th century.

The Department of Primary Industries has conducted four enquiries into the matter. Each report cites a lack of hard evidence but doesn't completely rule out the possibility of a large feline in the area.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News, Animals, Australia