but while I was stumbling around yesterday in the green in the middle of nowhere I saw a black cat-type animal come sprinting out of the undergrowth. It was running away from me, but it was either (a) a really really really big domestic cat that had gone feral, or (b) a small puma. Anyone else see it?
You shouldn't confuse stories from Today Tonight as actual events...
Seriously. It was down near number 3.
About the size of a greyhound, about 750mm at the front shoulder? I saw one (twice) back in 1973 out the back of Koorweinguboora. I got a good look at it as it paused to observe me before crossing the track in front of me. Other sightings reported in the local press in the same weeks. Haven't seen it since in all my wanderings. I wondered where it had gone. Mark it down as a very very large feral cat.
I saw a feral cat at Ngangagurrringuring map once, it was more than twice the size of a large tom cat. But it wasn't black nor as big as a puma.
Either way if its feral it needs trapping or shooting!
Black Feral Cat the Undeniable Truth! Name of a rock climb in the Grampians put up in the early 1980s. Same debate. The feral cats that survive in the bush either get very big or there is very heavy selection pressure for those with the capacity to get very big.
If shooting is required I'm sure the locals will be quite happy to oblige. Might be best not to tip them off until we're safely out of the area though.