Hunter ‘nabs’ the big one

By Nathan Johnston
A RETIRED engineer from Noble Park North may have provided the evidence to end a 70year debate about the existence of big cats in Australia.
Kurt Engel shot a large cat near Sale (East Gippsland) in June. He took some photos and kept the tail. The tail is now being used for DNA testing to determine the species of the animal.
Mr Engel said his story has attracted both support and suspicion since it became public at the weekend.
“I’ve received plenty of phone calls from farmers who have told me they had seen them or have lost stock to a large animal.”
But he said there were others, including government representatives, who doubted the credibility of his evidence.
“Some of the people say it’s all a hoax, but they should at least have the courtesy of waiting for the DNA results.
“The Government seems to want to sweep it all under the carpet, but sooner or later they’re going to have to admit (that the big cats exist).
“Maybe they are worried about compensation claims from farmers who have lost stock. A lot of animals have been killed.
“I don’t know what it is. I’ve never said it was a puma, a panther or a leopard, but it was too big to be a normal cat.”
Mr Engel said he didn’t go public with news of his catch because he didn’t want the attention.
“I was sitting on it for four months. I never wanted the publicity.
“I showed the photos to a friend of mine and he couldn’t believe it. He passed the information on to a big cat expert in Sydney, Michael Williams.
“He (Williams) spoke to me on the phone and was down here the next day, and now it’s big news,” he said.
“I’ve spoken to all of the TV and radio stations and the newspapers. I haven’t been paid for the story. I didn’t ask to be paid, but I’ve suffered from it.
“I wasn’t able to sleep on Sunday night.”
Mr Engel said he has been a regular hunter for 45 years, but had never seen a big cat before the day he shot one.
“I was a sceptic. I thought that the big cat sightings were a similar story to little green men in flying saucers.
“I don’t go out hunting for big cats. I hunt Sambar deer. I make hunting knives and use the antlers for the handles.”
Mr Engel said he has been a regular hunter since he arrived in Australia from Austria in 1956.
“I originally came to see the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. I just loved the country and the freedom of the bush. I love it.”
He said he hoped the results of the tests would help solve the mystery of the big cats.
“People say that the big cats could be panthers or pumas that were released by American soldiers during the Second World War.
“Others say there have been sightings that date back to 1933.
“It could even be a native species. I really hope it is.”