Blue Mountains panther report
In 2003 a New South Wales government review of reports from the Penrith–Lithgow area concluded that exotic big cats were 'more likely than not' living in bushland near Sydney.
2003 CE · -33.75, 150.69 · status: disputed
The account
The 'Lithgow panther' has been reported since the early twentieth century, and similar black cats are claimed in Gippsland and the Grampians, where a Deakin University study judged them present 'beyond reasonable doubt'.
The sceptical view
No body, scat or DNA has confirmed a big cat in Australia. A 2012 Victorian government study found the evidence pointed to large feral cats.
The researched reading
Most panther sightings are large feral cats seen poorly. An escaped big cat is possible, but there is still no body, scat or DNA.
| Explanation | Weight | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Something known, misidentified | 50% | Large feral cats, black dogs and misjudged size explain most reports. A 2012 Victorian government study found the evidence pointed to feral cats. |
| An unknown or out-of-place animal | 12% | Stories of released circus animals or wartime mascots are plausible origins for a few real exotic cats, and the 2003 NSW review judged it “more likely than not”. Still, decades without a body, scat or DNA make a breeding population unlikely. |
| A cultural story | 12% | A century of Lithgow panther lore keeps the expectation alive. |
| Undetermined | 10% | The share a generic explanation had beyond what has been shown for this case: it fits many cases like this one, but has not been demonstrated for this one. |
| Perception, memory or mind | 9% | Brief sightings at dusk invite enlargement of ordinary cats. |
| A hoax or fabrication | 6% | Several photos and videos have proved to be domestic cats or faked. |
| Genuinely anomalous | 1% | A real animal is the claim, so nothing anomalous. |
Official position: A 2003 NSW government review said exotic big cats were more likely than not present; later studies found no confirmation.