Big cat expert Vaughan King backs up claim of Toolangi sightings

BIG cats are out there, according to an expert who backed up latest reports of two creatures spotted in Melbourne’s outer east, saying Victoria is a “key spot” for sightings.

Tim Hurley and his girlfriend spotted two big black cats while driving around a bush track near the Maroondah Reservoir in Toolangi on December 4. Picture: Hamish Blair

REPORTS of a big cat sighting in Melbourne’s outer east have been backed up by an expert who says Victoria is one of the main places they are found.

Vaughan King, a former big cat handler at Australia Zoo, said the December 4 sightings by Tim Hurley and his girlfriend near the Maroondah Reservoir at Toolangi were highly credible.

He visited the area yesterday and said it was “the best, most suitable habitat” for big cats.

“Big cats are rare to see in the wild. I believe we have three species in Australia,” he said.

“Victoria is one of the key spots and has the most recent sighting at the moment. Perhaps during the Black Saturday fires a lot of the big cats lost their habitat.

“Therefore we are starting to see a resurgence in the area. There is adequate food and water supplies.”

Vaughan King is on the hunt for big cats in Victoria.

Mr King is driving across Australia following up big cat sighting reported on his Australian big cat research group website, PantherPeople.

He made the trek from Queensland to get on the trail of recent sightings of what he believes to be Asiatic and African leopards, jaguars and cougars.

Mr King said the big cats weren’t native to Australia but believed they were living here.

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According the PantherPeople website, sightings of a “jet black animal” date back to 1973-74 in East Warburton, and as recently as August 2010 in North Warrandyte and Mr Hurley’s experience on December 4.

Mr King is also investigating possible sightings of Thylacines and Thylacoleo and is asking people to report their sightings to the PantherPeople.

“I want to prove it an actual fact that big cats are living in Australia,” he said.

“It is only a matter of time before someone gets footage and hopefully it is us.”