news, Rosebery panther, Clayton Mantje

A second big, black cat sighting - this time in Circular Head - has come to light, after visitors to Rosebery reported seeing a panther-like creature last weekend. North Motton's Clayton Mantje had an encounter with a big cat three years ago, while hunting on a farm at Togari. "I was out with the spotlight one night, went down the paddock and was on some thick bush line and I heard something so I swung the light around. "I saw this big, black shadow and I remember seeing orange eyes. It was pure black, big head and long tail, and I didn't know what to think." Mr Mantje looked at the animal through the sights on his rifle, which the spotlight was attached to. He debated whether or not to shoot it. "By the time I had it lined up, it was gone. It shocked me how quick it moved. "It put a shiver down my spine. Something that big could bring down a cow." Mr Mantje said the body was nearly a metre long and the tail about the same length. "It was a big animal with a big. chunky head and it was strong - it jumped fair near off the ground without a run and cleared the wallaby fence by a good four feet. "It put the wind up me and I was a bit shocked and a bit worried about hunting." For several nights afterwards he looked for it, but never saw any sign of it again. Despite the shock, he says he now feels privileged to have seen it. "It's a once in a lifetime thing. It's certainly a scary thing to have in Tasmania but you don't want a witch hunt." The Primary Industries, Water and Environment Department has been asked for comment on the size and features of feral cats, which many believe these to be. Well-fed feral cat? Or something quite other? Have your say using the form below.

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