Black Panther - Canada
Tourist spots panther in Nipissing; No sightings confirmed by MNR
A Civic holiday weekend visit to Nipissing Township will be memorable
for one family renting a cottage on Lake Nipissing's South Shore.
Teri Hart, 33, was jogging on Muskeg Road Friday evening when she was
cut off by a large, black cat which bolted across the road. To make
matters worse, the Barrie woman was with her two sons, aged 5 and 6,
who were riding their bikes.
"It just bounded right in front of them really quick," said Hart's
father, Graham Thompson, a former RCMP drug officer.
The family called authorities Friday night and was told by the Ontario
Provincial Police to call the Ministry of Natural Resources.
A ministry official, in turn, told Thompson aconservation officer
would be sent today to track the animal.
"Having worked for the government, I know they are experiencing
cutbacks, so I'm not surprised" that the MNR didn't send someone out
right away, Thompson said Monday.
"But why can't they pay someone the overtime to come and track it now?
. . . They said if we get attacked to call 911."
There have been numerous unconfirmed black panther sightings in the
Bonfield, Rutherglen, Verner and South Shore areas in the past month.
North Bay Police Service cautioned residents on McKeown Avenue July 27
about a possible panther sighting in the city near the Ministry of
Transportation building.
The MNR has not confirmed any of the sightings, and a spokeswoman said
last month if panthers were living in the area, they would have been
pets that had been let loose.
Some residents believe the panthers are the descendants from a litter
lost after the closure of an exotic animal farm in Powassan several
years ago.
Thompson said he has travelled around the United States where wild
jaguars live and isn't too worried about the local panther sightings.
Although he admits his grandkids are being kept close to the cottage
in Nipissing Township, he knows whatever bolted in front of his
daughter on Muskeg Road Friday wants nothing to do with humans.
"It wants to stay as far away from us as it can," Thompson said. "And
there is no shortage of food for it here because there are so many
deer, although I have to admit, there are fewer of them around here now."
North Bay Nugget, Ontario: 7th August 2007