Rare Black Bob Cat Captured[Florida]

WPTV ^ | 23 Aug 2007 | Danielle Dubetz

[BGHater]

What a beautiful Cat.

This does not rule out Jaguarandi that I have seen 'blackish' in the wild in Florida.

From Cryptomundo: http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/07blk-bobcat/

" I am a state licensed nuisance wildlife trapper located in southern Florida. I thought you might be interested in this. On Wednesday night I was contacted by a very excited/scared land owner in Martin County, Florida. The day before something killed her 30lb male turkey. She arrived home Wednesday evening to begin searching for the carcass which she couldn’t find on Tuesday. As she came out of the cane grass she saw what she described to me as a large black cat. Larger than a bobcat, more like panther size.

She was convinced that what she saw was someone’s escaped black jaguar or black leopard. I headed up the next morning to search for sign of a large cat but found only bobcat size prints along the bank of the Okeechobee Waterway (St. Lucie Canal) on her property known as “The Last Stand”. After doing some research I believed that what I was searching for was a melanistic bobcat.

I set up the live-catch trap baited with a fresh killed rooster. The next morning I got the cat. A 16 lb., ~2 year old, healthy male melanistic bobcat. The cat is alive and well and currently being kept at a local wildlife center until a decision is made as to where he will end up. I have been able to track down 13 previous confirmed (either captured cats or photo evidence) records of melanistic bobcats in south and south central Florida since the 1st one in 1939.

I believe this male makes 14 and currently the only living one in captivity….Feel free to pass along this [information] and attached photos.

Deron Hartman, Busch Wildlife Sanctuary"

[Clint N. Suhks]

That is one cool cat!

[Tijeras_Slim]

I want one.

[goldstategop]

Its a beautiful black cat. Looks like my black cat. Its mysterious in a mesmerizing way.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[I Drive Too Fast]

unusual cat ping

[Jaysun]

Neat. I’d like to have it on my wall.

I thought I read somewhere that there were panthers or something similar in Florida.

[pandoraou812]

Very beautiful pics...Thanks ~Pandora~

[goldstategop]

The way to tell if its a bobcat is to look at the fur underneath reflected light. The stripes and spots should still be visible. Same with black leopards and jaguars.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[USMCWife6869]

It’s definitely a beautiful cat, but they said it was the size of a Labrador, yet later said it only weighed 20 pounds. How big does it stand, just out of curiousity. I’m not a big pet cat fan, but I do love wild cats and predatory cats.

[Red Badger]

In Nassau County and surrounding areas, stories of Black Panthers in the woods are nearly a hundred years old..........

[Old Sarge]

What a wonderful find - I had never once heard of a black bobcat! Intriguing!

[CORedneck]

I thought I taw a putty cat ! I did, I did taw a putty cat !

[johnny7]

Way cool! I’ve seen roadside warnings for them in the Everglades.

[NonValueAdded]

Viking Kitty 2.0!!! Welcome to FR, Robert Cat

[mamelukesabre]

Way cool, man. Isn’t that a little small for a male bobcat though? I thought a male bobcat was in the 30lb range.

[zencat]

Wait, 16 lbs. I have a Bengal house cat that’s like ~ 12. Seems pretty small for a Bobcat.

[Graymatter]

Return it to the wild? Whose backyard will it turn up in next?

[Joe Boucher]

I live in western St. Lucie County, about an hour north of Palm Beach.
We have a panther around here and i’ve seen it three times. Also bobcats, a lynx, fox, cayote, wolves, otters, bald eagles, deer, wild pigs(boar), and every kind of bird you can think of.
Panthers are real cool, with a tail very long.
Have seen 4 in various places around Florida, always in remote
isolated places.

[Brujo]

Crypto ping?

[Pajamajan]

Gorgeous cat BUMP.