Mornington Peninsula big cat: ‘Panther’ spotted at Tootgarook wetlands
True believers swear big cats roam the Mornington Peninsula. See the latest photo and decide for yourself.
South East
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Debate over the existence of the “peninsula panther” is raging again after a fresh sighting of a large, black, catlike creature near Mornington Peninsula wetlands.
An image of an unidentified animal lurking near Tootgarook wetlands was recently posted to a popular Facebook group.
Michael Corr snapped what he thought was “the biggest feral cat I have ever seen or possibly something else’’ on Thursday, January 14.
He shared it online and within hours hundreds had commented, some claiming it was further proof that big cats were roaming the peninsula and others declaring it another case of mistaken identity.
‘Finally a decent photo of the elusive panther!” Matt Reeves posted.
Others were not so easily swayed.
“Someone posts something like this every single year and everyone always falls for it,’ Jessica Sanders posted.
Big cat sightings across the region have been a hot topic years as locals swap stories about seeing the black beast.
One of the earliest sightings was about 35 years ago at Arthurs Seat.
More recently a photo of a “pantheresque” shape near the Mornington Peninsula freeway went viral in 2018.
That image was debunked by a 14 year-old-girl who took the original photo and said it had been photoshopped by an unknown prankster.
The elusive big cats are not only spotted on the peninsula.
Several sightings have been claimed in the Yarra Ranges, with the latest in 2020 in Lilydale on Maroondah Hwy near Mooroolbark Road.
Bayside man Sean Miljoen said he was one the phone to his partner when he noticed a “huge cat” cross the road in front of him.
By the time he had pulled over to take a photo the creature was gone.
