Australian Big Cats

Author: Michael Williams
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780646530079
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 437

Book Description
The Australian bush holds many secrets, and one of its biggest is ?about to be revealed. For decades there has been talk of big cats roaming the Australian bush. These large cats - predominantly black - have only afforded their witnesses fleeting glimpses, and left behind tantalising clues: scraps of fur, a paw print or three, unusually large scats, and livestock carcasses surgically dismembered and picked clean of flesh. In their wake, they leave carnage and bewilderment: What are they? How did they get here? The authors don't just ask the questions, they seek the answers, and what they have found will intrigue the sceptic and the believer alike. The book also dedicates a chapter to the profusion of sightings and speculation in neighbouring New Zealand, and sharing for the first time highlights from the unpublished manuscript of New Zealand's first big cat hunter. Flesh-and-blood or flight of fancy? Exotic pest, mutant feral or 'extinct' marsupial lion? Join the authors as they explore one of Australia's greatest wildlife mysteries. "The authors' even-handed, open-minded approach provides ample evidences for the theories they touch upon...this is a first-rate Fortean classic, fastidiously sourced, and essential reading for all students of the ABC phenomenon." - Fortean Times "At 434 pages, it s substantial. It s also highly readable, nicely formatted and very well illustrated. The authors have collated a vast amount of information gleaned not only from published sources but also from interviews with both eyewitnesses and people who have examined evidence firsthand. So, to anyone seriously interested in mystery animals, mystery big cats or Australian mammals in general, this book is a must-have..." - Dr Darren Naish, author of Scientific American blog Tetrapod Zoology"

Big Cats

Author: Rick Minter
Publisher: Whittles
ISBN: 9781849950428
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Right across Britain, people are reporting large feral cats resembling panthers, pumas and lynx. How have these cats established themselves? What are their territories, how are they breeding and are numbers viable? This book reviews the evidence and considers the implications of Britain's large cats, for people and for wildlife.

Snarls from the Tea-tree

Author: David Waldron
Publisher: Arcadia
ISBN: 9781921875830
Category : Animals
Languages : en
Pages : 190

Book Description
Big cat scares have for generations haunted Victorians; stories of stock killed, claims of paw-prints left behind, rumours of 'beast' attacks only breeding the 'myth'. Often there was a large local response, with massive bushland hunts that focused on the notion of escaped lions, tigers or other big cats. The 'myth' of the big cat has evolved over time, but relates closely to Australia's engagement with its environment. Waldron and Townsend study this big cat folklore evolution across Victoria.

Wild Cats of the World

Author: Luke Hunter
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472922859
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 242

Book Description
Wild Cats of the World provides detailed accounts for all 38 species of wild cat accompanied by magnificent artwork and stunning photography. From the rabbit-sized Black-footed Cat of southern Africa to bear-killing Amur tigers of the Russian Far East, the 38 members of the Cat Family include some of the world's most fascinating and magnificent species on earth. Supremely adapted for the kill, all cats are obligate carnivores; they survive only by preying upon other animals, and they have become one of evolution's most successful predatory lineages of mammals. Wild Cats of the World explores the spectacular Cat Family in unprecedented depth. Drawing on thousands of scientific papers and direct observations in the field, each species is profiled at length, covering all aspects of felid behaviour and ecology. The book is profusely illustrated with colour plates, black-and-white sketches showing important aspects of cat life and accurate images of every species' skull. Over 400 spectacular photographs are included, many of them showing extremely rare and little-known cats published here for the first time. Each profile includes an up-to-date range map and explains the most current science on how cats are classified and related to each other, including some very recent, surprising discoveries. Despite their great evolutionary success, the challenges facing felids in the modern world are profound. Only one, the ubiquitous domestic cat, does not require dedicated conservation action to ensure survival for the next century. The book also explores the current conservation issues facing wild cats, the increasingly perilous status of many species and how they can be saved.

The Tantanoola Tiger

Author: Patrick J. Gallagher
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781523352883
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 288

Book Description
At the end of the 19th Century, and even into the early 20th Century, large areas of eastern Australia were still in a state that could be regarded as "wilderness" despite the proximity of cities and towns. Dense scrub, rough bushland and imposing mountains all combined to create places that had little appeal for human habitation by any but the hardiest of souls.It's probably little surprise then that it was easy to give credence to stories of strange, unknown animals roaming the populated fringes of the country. Legendary creatures, such as the Yowie (Australia's answer to Bigfoot) and the Bunyip, received their share of accounts in the newspapers of the time. But the most common "strange animal" reports concerned creatures that would be somewhat more mundane in comparison were it not for the out-of-place nature of their appearances.Tigers and lions.Presented here, then, is a collection of original newspaper reports of "big cat" sightings spanning the years 1885 to 1955. In cryptozoology circles, these creatures are known as "Alien Big Cats" or ABC's. The "alien" in this case refers to something foreign to the environment and not something from space.Whether it was a case of mistaken identity, people seeing thylacines (the marsupial 'Tasmanian Tiger', not yet declared extinct at the time), or people had not yet come to terms with how large feral cats could become in the wild, there were many sightings of something prowling the Australian bush.

Savage Shadow

Author: David O'Reilly
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780646553139
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 310

Book Description
For decades farmers in the southwest of Australia have been convinced that there are cougars at large in the Australian bush, devastating wildlife and livestock. Hundreds of sightings have been documented in Western Australia, from as far north as Geraldton, south to Esperance and inland to Norseman. Australian journalist David O'Reilly became fascinated with what is known as perhaps Australia's greatest wildlife mystery during his time as the bureau chief of The Australian's Perth office. He interviewed scores of witnesses - farmers, wildlife experts, academics and bureaucrats - and wrote many stories about the hunt for the 'Cordering Cougar', as it became known, during the late 1970s and early 1980s. This book, now back in print for the first time in 30 years, is the culmination of that work. "A classic, timeless work back in print at last." - Dr Karl Shuker, zoologist and author "One of the most influential books on the subject [of Australian Big Cats] is David O Reilly s 1981 Savage Shadow: the Search for the Australian Cougar (recently republished by Strange Nation Publishing). O Reilly s book mostly centres around the experiences of those who clamed to have seen (or experienced the depredations of) the Cordering Cougar in West Australia during the 1970s." - Dr Darren Naish, author of Scientific American blog Tetrapod Zoology

Wild Cats

Author: Charles Hope
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781742034614
Category : Endangered species
Languages : en
Pages : 24

Book Description
Around the world there are many animals close to extinction. One group particularly under threat are wild cats. Meet the species that are on the edge, learn how they are threatened and what is being done to help them survive.

On the Prowl

Author: Mark Hallett
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231545525
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 434

Book Description
Big cats such as lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars fascinate us like few other creatures. They are enduring symbols of natural majesty and power. Yet despite the magnetic appeal of the big cats, their origins and evolutionary history remain poorly understood—and human activity threatens to put an end to the big cats’ glory. On the Prowl is a fully illustrated and approachable guide to the evolution of the big cats and what it portends for their conservation today. Mark Hallett and John M. Harris trace the origins of these iconic carnivores, venturing down the evolutionary pathways that produced the diversity of big cat species that have walked the earth. They place the evolution and paleobiology of these species in the context of ancient ecosystems and climates, explaining what made big cats such efficient predators and analyzing their competition with other animals. Hallett and Harris pay close attention to human impact, from the evidence of cave paintings and analysis of ancient extinctions up to present-day crises. Their engaging and carefully documented account is brought to life through Hallett’s detailed, vivid illustrations, based on the most recent research by leading paleontologists. Offering a fresh look at the rise of these majestic animals, On the Prowl also makes a powerful case for renewed efforts to protect big cats and their habitats before it is too late.

Part of the Pride

Author: Kevin Richardson
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 0312556748
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 285

Book Description
Daring lion keeper seen by millions on YouTube gives insider's view of life inside the pride

Cats in Australia

Author: Chris Dickman
Publisher: CSIRO PUBLISHING
ISBN: 1486308457
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 336

Book Description
Across the world, cats are loved as pets or are kept or tolerated for their role in controlling some animal pests. But cats, both pets and feral, also kill many native animals and this toll can be enormous. Cats have been remarkably successful in Australia, spreading pervasively across the continent and many islands, occurring in all environments, and proving to be adept and adaptable hunters. A large proportion of Australia’s distinctive fauna is threatened and recent research highlights the significant role that cats play in the decline and extinction of native species. Cats in Australia brings this research together, documenting the extent to which cats have subverted, and are continuing to subvert, Australia’s biodiversity. But the book does much more than spotlight the impacts of cats on Australian nature. It describes the origins of cats and their global spread, their long-standing and varying relationship with people, their global impacts and their ecology. It also seeks to describe the challenge of managing cats, and the options available to constrain their impacts.