Michael is joined by Dr David Waldron, Senior Lecturer in History at Federation University who co-wrote a book exploring the origins of big cat sightings, following fresh reports of a large black cat being spotted darting across the road in the Mitta Valley on Saturday.

Big cat sightings have been reported around the country for 200 years while a Victorian government report says feral cats are being mistaken for big cats.

Dr Waldron says, “In the 19th century there was very little control over exotic animals and there was quite a thriving exotic animal trade with big cat cubs.”

“You can go through the old classifieds and you will find people selling them at pubs, and certainly down at the docks in Melbourne and Sydney.”

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