Comments on: Black Panther Killed: What Species Is It?

By: GiJin

GiJin — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:34:45 +0000

What isn’t realized id that 11 days ago there was a tornado that tore up that part of the country and killed 11 people there 22 in total. The Deputy was prolly on duty for several hours straight trying to maintain law and order. I have video of the big cat and to me it dose appear to be a pet, it looks to be trying to get inside a house not out of hunger per say, more out of fear. Some people say that the pet escaped during the tornado, I tend to agree with that. I personally think the Deputy handeled the situation correctly. Some people tend to think an animal life is more important than human life sometimes.

By: btgoss

btgoss — Thu, 22 May 2008 14:38:45 +0000

I used the “Barney Fife” reference to help illustrate the point that this was a rural officer, who I am certain expected to find nothing more then a big house cat, and was instead faced with an actual, honest to goodness, big cat.
That would have been something that was totally outside his reality.
Of course his adrenaline would have gone through the rough at that point. He then just let his traning and natural instinct take over, and some poor pet is killed. It is tragic.
What I think we can learn from this as far as crypto science is concerned is his reaction.
Seeing a true cryptid would be the same type of reality breaking experience. I think that is important to consider.
Could you imagine a “regular” Joe walking around a tree and coming face to face with a thylacine? I know I would freak out, and I might actually recognize what I was looking at.

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:46:39 +0000

While I appreciate the emotional component that some have mined from within this story, my hope was to alert you to this news, in the context of cryptids, cryptozoology, cryptid felids, melanistic cats, escapees, and the basic details of the human reaction to such encounters - as noted in the media. There, no doubt, are many sides of this story that would illuminate us all if we could hear from everyone involved.

However, we are beholding to these media accounts and their sometimes sensationalistic slants.

I respect the fact that none of us would know how we might react when placed in a situation with a large animal that might display unknown behaviors.

Law enforcement officers, homeowners, farmers, and ranchers thrust into unpredictable events have my highest regard, and I would call upon folks commenting here to stay on track. Unless you are walking in the shoes of the other person, I caution against great statements of insight on matters that did not happen to you - and for which we have extremely limited information.

There is no need for psychological projections to be made of what some might do or not do when placed in circumstances that they assess to be a dangerous encounter.

Frankly, I was just hoping someone might know what species this was and be able to have access to photos.

There is much we can learn from this case in terms of cryptozoology and zoology, first and foremost.

By: kittenz

kittenz — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:25:11 +0000

I didn’t start the Barney Fife thing; I was respnding to another commenter who mentioned Barney.

I realize that in some cases - for instances the SF Zoo incident where a tiger that had already attacked people was loose in an unprotected crowd of people - in those cases, police often have no real choice but to shoot.

In this case however, the officer showed poor judgement. Five minutes of careful observation would have showed him that the cub scratching at the lady’s door was declawed. The animal had not attacked anyone and had not even injured the dogs that attacked it. “Running toward” someone does not equal “attacking”. The officer should have shown more restraint.

I have a great deal of respect for police officers of all kinds and they have a tough, dangerous job. That does not excuse them from acting with good judgement and restraint. Blazing away at a leopard cub with a shotgun and a .45, in a suburban backyard, before fully assessing the situation, was out of line.

By: Spinach Village

Spinach Village — Thu, 22 May 2008 06:07:18 +0000

The Barney comment may be harsh in these circumstances… But the Chicago Cougar thing was totally uncalled for and that is still fresh in some posters minds just like mine… In my opinion they had a whole squadron of Barney Phifes dispatched to the scene in Chicago…

In this case if the officer is telling the truth, then unfortunately in my opinion his actions seem warranted… like somebody said earlier “A tragedy all around”.

ps.

Really would like to see pictures.. I wonder why they didn’t release any with the story

By: Hawkeye

Hawkeye — Thu, 22 May 2008 02:23:07 +0000

I think the comments about the deputy being “Barny Fife” are not called for. He got a call about a panther trying to get into a house and when he arrived the animal ran at him. They are trained to do exactly what he did. I’ve had the unfortunate job of having to dispatch animals and even from close range I’ve seen animals get up and come back at people after being shot numerous times.

By: NightFlight

NightFlight — Thu, 22 May 2008 01:09:08 +0000

Kittenz,
I agree with you 100%, but being an ex law enforcement officer, I believe the first thing that would cross my mind if I pulled up into a rural home setting and sighted a clearly extremely wild animal clawing to get in the the door, would be rabies, and being paid by the taxpayers to “serve and protect” I believe the same outcome would have ensued, especially if the animal turned its attention to me and charged. Rural counties like the one I was employed by didn’t have the money to afford animal control (however, it does now, thank goodness) and the deputies had to not only enforce laws but be animal control, also. The worse thing I ever had to do was dispatch suspected rabid dogs because I love dogs and I always thought of “Old Yellar” when that happened. Yeah, I did cry sometimes.

By: d00fus

d00fus — Thu, 22 May 2008 00:44:18 +0000

I am a long time reader, first time commentor, but just a thought…

My dad once told me he shot a “tiger” that had been troubling a town in the North-West of Western Australia back in the seventies. Turned out to be a damn big tabby cat, he said it was over a metre long.

I also read that a guy in Victoria I think it was shot a “black panther” that also turned out to be a really big feral cat.

In nature it seems that the biggest and strongest survive, especially with predators, so it is possible that a lot of these sightings of big cats could be nothing more than overgrown moggies.

In this case I don’t know and it is hard to tell without photo’s, but in the cops defence if I had a 60 pound cat charging at me (and didn’t know it had been de-clawed) I probably would have done the same.

By: kittenz

kittenz — Wed, 21 May 2008 23:32:12 +0000

There was a better way to handle this. The cat was not endangering any lives at the time that the “Ole Barney” first saw it. The more correct thing to do would have been to contact a local animal control facility, zoo, or even veterinarian - or even the person in the county who holds a permit for a Bengal tiger - for advice and help. Why couldn’t he have called the state conservation officer BEFORE he blazed away at it with both a shotgun and a .45? The cat couldn’t have been too dangerous, since it merely “brushed away” the dogs that attacked it. From the article, it sounds like it was just trying to get back inside after its owner either abandoned it or let it escape confinement.

I think the guy was just hopped up on adrenaline and testosterone and wanted to feel like a hotshot.

By: gkingdano

gkingdano — Wed, 21 May 2008 22:47:18 +0000

The one to blamed is the “owner” of this pet. If they were too scared of the law to report the escape , then that removes their image of being a “bad-a–” of have a “Black Panther”as a pet. The govt. should have a required Permit law to bred, transport, have, sell, and any actions dealing with any wild species. I AM NOT SAYING PEOPLE should not be allowed to own one; they SHOULD be required to prove that they can feed , care for (vet bills), and especially contain they bad-boy animals. Some areas of the country have NO laws of any kinds to control these animals. YOUR NEIGHBOR may have one behind that fence and it may be LEGAL without reporting to anyone. Of course any laws made will just have more of these animals turned lose on the unknowing public by the MORONS.