By Tim Binnall
An intriguing video captured by an Australian prospector shows a rather sizeable black feline, that some suspect could be a panther, running through a field. The curious footage, which is remarkably clear by big cat sighting standards, was reportedly filmed this past Sunday by Angus James, who was searching for gold with a metal detector near the mining community of Ballarat. However, his treasure hunt took an unexpected detour when he noticed a "blackness" appear in the tall grass of a nearby paddock.
Taking a closer look, James realized that there was "quite a big cat of some sort" making its way through the field beside him. "It was moving in a straight line," the prospector observed, "and it had a very heavy run." Despite the creature's determination to quickly flee the scene, James managed to capture the moment with his cell phone and subsequently posted the footage on his Facebook page, where it drew an array of responses from astounded viewers.
Some observers noted that James' experience was not wholly unique in that there have been several big cat sightings throughout Australia, where such creatures are not believed to exist. However, more skeptical individuals posited that the creature was probably just a very large feral feline and not anything particularly exotic. Of course, there have also been others who suggest that James faked the footage, which he dismissed with the declaration that "It's definitely not a hoax. I definitely didn't edit it, I'm no good with that sort of thing." What do you make of the prospector's video? Share your thoughts with us at the C2C Facebook page.