By Tim Binnall
A mysterious feline creature that had been something of a mythical denizen of an island in France has been proven to actually exist. The remarkable confirmation was announced last week in a press release from the French Office for Biodiversity They noted that residents of Corsica had long spoken of an animal dubbed the Ghjattu Volpe, or 'cat fox,' living on the island. While it was firmly entrenched in local lore and some scientific groups did recognize the creature, whether or not it truly existed "has not ceased to be questioned until today."
The announcement went on to explain that the possibility that the Ghjattu Volpe was real received renewed attention in 2008 when a peculiar wildcat was inadvertently captured on the island. This inspired a scientific study aimed at determining if the "cat present in the agro-pastoral mythology of the island" existed and "to clarify its status." Determined researchers were able to obtain hair samples from what were believed to be various 'cat foxes' that were identified via camera traps which captured the creature's unique fur coating, which includes a striped tail. While that study merely found that the animals were not European wildcats, it could not conclude that they were simply feral Corsican house cats.
A subsequent study put that question to rest as scientists were able to capture sixteen of the wildcats and genetic testing on the animals indicated that they are a wholly unique species confined to Corsica. The creatures that 'contributed' to the study will continue to provide insight into the nature of the Ghjattu Volpe as they have been equipped with tracking devices which should reveal a considerable amount of information concerning the previously elusive animal's behavior. One can only hope to someday hear similar news concerning others exotic mythological creatures which are known to local populations but remain unproven, such as the Orang Pendek of Sumatra or perhaps even Bigfoot.