There’s been loads of sightings of big black cats around the Hunter, according to readers.

These sightings have been at places including Minmi, Wallsend, Munmorah, Freemans Waterhole, Morisset, Swansea, Kurri Kurri, Cessnock, Singleton, the Watagan Mountains, Medowie and Stroud.

We reported Rex Gilroy last week as saying that he believed the panther was “actually a large marsupial cat”. Rex, who has written a book titled Big Cats of the Australian Wilderness, said the panthers move back and forth between the Blue Mountains and the Hunter area.

Our story prompted an email from Vaughan King, founder of the Australian Big Cat Research Group. Vaughan previously worked for five years as a big cat handler at Australia Zoo, working with Bengal and Sumatran tigers (adults and cubs).

As for the panthers, Vaughan believes they exist in Australia – but he doesn’t think they’re large marsupial cats.

He believes there are three panther species in Australia: the leopard, jaguar and mountain lion.

“There are nine known subspecies of these cats, but we most likely have the Asiatic and African leopard subspecies here in Australia.”

Vaughan said the Asiatic subspecies were used extensively in the circus and zoo industries due to their “mysteriousness and beauty and their trainability for performances”.

“The key factor about all of these species, is they are three of the most adaptable and elusive big cats on the planet,” he said.

“The leopard, for instance, is found in 75 countries on multiple continents and in an array of habitats, including dense jungles and rugged mountain ranges of Asia – not just on the African savanna like National Geographic leads us to believe.

“The jaguar is found in the dense tropical rainforests of South America as well as in parts of arid North America. But the mountain lion takes the cake. It is found from the impenetrable Rocky Mountains of Canada and North America, through the deserts of California and Arizona, right down into the jungles of South America. Truly a remarkable big cat species to be able to adapt to so many different habitats and climates.”

Vaughan reckons these bigs cats would not only survive in Australia, but thrive.

He didn’t think it was strange that no humans had been killed by panthers in Australia.

Big cats like leopards and tigers usually attack humans when they’re sick or injured due to a human attacking them, he said.

“This is why it is important to note that hunting these animals should not be an option,” he said.

“They are naturally wary, elusive and will almost always run when they are noticed.

“The mountain lion, for instance, was known by many hunters as the 'spirit cat' due to its elusiveness and seeming invisibility. 

“Who knows if an attack will ever happen here in Australia. They have kept to themselves for the last few decades, but it is almost inevitable that our paths will cross as urban encroachment occurs and the population increases.” 

Vaughan says there are several theories about how the panthers came to Australia.

These include escapes from zoos and circuses, US mascots that escaped or were released during World War II and US prospectors who brought them here during the gold rush.

“I have spoken with a former circus owner who admitted to me in person that they had plenty of accidents over the years, one in particular where they lost an array of animals – including big cats (black leopards),” he said.

“This was one incident in possibly dozens that have been reported (or unreported) over the last century.”

He added that almost one million US servicemen passed through Australian ports during the war.

“On these ships they carried their mascots of war – big cats, monkeys and other exotic animals they had obtained during their travels,” he said.

He believes large feral cats account for about 30 per cent of all big cat sightings.

What was it like being a big cat handler at Australia Zoo?

Australia Zoo is a magical place. I know that sounds corny, but it is hands down the best zoo in Australia. Steve Irwin's vision from early on was an interactive place for people to get close to animals – and in some cases even hands on – with the ability to learn about wildlife conservation through exciting education. 

I moved over from Perth when I was only 17, having worked at various wildlife parks in Western Australia. I started volunteering there [at the zoo] straight out of high school, with hopes of becoming a big cat handler. At that stage though, I was considered too young to join the team, so I worked in other departments such as reptiles, birds, mammals etc to learn the basics of zookeeping and general animal husbandry.

I then left for a couple of years and travelled the world as a full-time carer for a guy with no arms or legs. We travelled to 17 different countries over a two-year period. The manager of big cats at the time liked for his team to have some world experience and to have gotten the travel bug out of their system.

I then returned back around the age of 20 and secured a full-time job as a big cat handler, working with Bengal and Sumatran tigers (both adults and cubs). It was an amazing time and one of the best jobs anyone could ever have. Being able to hand-raise a cub is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do. Forming a strong bond and relationship over time with a fully grown tiger is phenomenal. I do not take my time there lightly. I was able to experience things that others can only dream about. 

Did you know Steve Irwin?

I did not know him personally, but had met him a few times while working at the zoo. He was an amazing person and exactly how you saw him on TV – a true character who had the most authentic personality in anyone I've ever met. He gave everyone and anyone the time of day, which spoke volumes about the person he was.

Did you have any close calls?

I did have a couple. Thankfully I never had any major bites or scratches. Big cats, in particular tigers, will constantly test the boundaries and strength of your relationship with them. If you push them a little hard to do something they don't want to do, they will certainly let you know about it. Working with animals, just like people, is about getting to know each individual personality. If a cat doesn't like your personality, they will be near impossible to work with. 

I worked with three adult Sumatran tigers – Juma, Singha and Ranu. They were siblings. Juma was an absolute delight to work with. A very cruisy cat, easy to get along with. His sister, not so much. More of a typical female. A bit moody at times and everything was on her terms. But their brother Ranu for some reason did not like me one bit. I didn’t take it personally, though. I just had to accept that I would never have the same relationship with him, as I would with his brother or sister. 

What do you like/dislike about these creatures?

I like their elusiveness, their adaptability to any situation and their ability to disappear as quickly as they appear. 

I dislike very little about these animals. They are apex predators who have established their own population on an island thousands of kilometres away from where they are found naturally. They are the perfect predator.

What do you hope to achieve with your website, pantherpeople.com. 

Awareness, first and foremost. The population is split 50/50: people who have heard about panthers and people who haven't. I think it is vital that people in areas where these animals are found know that they are there and, if necessary, how to live with them. It is also important for people who have seen them to know there are others out there who have as well, and that they can report their sightings effectively and thoroughly to people who won't judge them for sounding “crazy”. A lot of time and effort has gone into phase one of the website in hopes that people right across the country can feel comfortable reporting their sightings to people who are devoted to proving their existence. 

Development of phase two of the website has begun and should be completed some time later this year. It will cover everything you need to know about what these animals might be and how they got here in the first place. It will not only be informative, but also engaging and educational and will go into detail about big cats in the wild and the importance of adequate conservation. As I said earlier though, it is about public awareness and education – not fearmongering. 

Check out facebook.com/pantherpeopleaustralia.