You wouldn't find a scientist that would say it was impossible that perhaps 1 animal that escaped from a zoo or something possibly existed in the wild in Texas.

100% of scientists would say that it was impossible that the number of people that claim to have seen them could be right.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www-tc.pbs.org/wnet/nature/files/2008/11/610_cougar_brianfcall.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/trail-of-the-cougar/interview-photographer-brian-call/1972/&usg=__Kmxnq8i20Ns-4_hKP6E551lINGw=&h=350&w=610&sz=40&hl=en&start=206&zoom=1&tbnid=vrQ_6EZIUeOX9M:&tbnh=128&tbnw=221&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcougar%2Bon%2Btrail%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us%26biw%3D1345%26bih%3D583%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=1022&vpy=115&dur=78&hovh=170&hovw=297&tx=146&ty=94&ei=vBcvTeqmBoT68Aa1xLy_CQ&oei=lxcvTdbKN4qCsQP57pTtCA&esq=10&page=11&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:206

That picture is exactly my point. People are seeing bobcats or dogs or lions (very rarely) that are wet or dirty or in light situations that make them appear black.

Mistaken identity.

But even you have to admit the number of people that think they've see them is just ridiculous.

If you read the article they say the possibility exists and I do agree that some of the sightings might be explained but not all of the sightings!!!

You are missing the point. There have been hundreds of sightings of black panthers, yet no sightings of jaguars. Melanistic Jaguars account for 6% of the total population WHERE THE HIGHEST DENSITY OF MELANISTIC JAGUARS ARE FOUND, not of the entire population. So lets say 6% of the Jaguars in Texas are Melanistic. For every sighting of a melanistic jaguar, there would be 16-17 sightings of a normally colored jaguar. Why has no one seen these normal colored jaguars??? BECAUSE THEY AREN'T SEEING MELANISTIC JAGUARS.

Of course its impossible to prove a negative. But I'm a chemist and if I mix A+B 20 times and never get C, I come to the conclusion that under the conditions of the tests A+B will not yield C.

Scientists have investigated black panther sightings for decades. EVERY SINGLE TIME evidence was collected, the evidence was found to show that it was a case of mistaken identity.

So, I also don't accuse anyone of lying about seeing a black panther, they were mistaken. I've thought I've seen a lot of things in my life when I only get a quick glance. But when given time to look, I'll realize my first inclination is often times wrong.

Seadog - They say that it's possible that someday a genetic mutation could occur. They also very conclusively determine that there are no black panthers in Texas. That article was a whole lot more "no" than it was "yes".

They said the POSSIBILITY exist!!! So if the POSSIBILITY does EXIST, then there is a possibility some people have seen them!!! All that they said was there have been no documented cases!!!

Since you're selectively picking quotes, some more from that article:

"Despite numerous reports of black panthers, a black specimen or skin has never seen the light of day in Texas or anywhere else in North America"

"There are a few old and unverified reports of black mountain lions from South America, but once again, no specimen exists."

"No authenticated records of black panthers exist anywhere in North America."

It then discusses the possibility of animals escaping from captivity and concludes...

"However, there is no evidence that this has ever occurred."

The only even very slightly somewhat optimistic piece of that article is that it's possible that someday a black mutation of a cougar could occur.

Right there with Bigfoot in odds.

It should be noted that you're banking on the "genetic mutation" of a cougar turning it black and they very specifically say:

"but once again, no specimen exists"

Meaning it hasn't happened.

36 pages..........WOW!!!

Debate would be over if someone opened the door for these guys. Two black "panthers" running around in the wild........scary stuff for being outside at night. Only way to know they're coming is if they smiled at you.

There are also reports of freshwater sharks in Texoma. I did not know such a specie existed.

Why would I do that? That would only make me look like a jerk.

15 pages...

Bull sharks(Zambize) often travel hundreds of miles inland from the ocean because of there ability to survive in fresh water. Also there is a land locked lake in south america that has been well documented as having bull sharks in it. So, yep it's plausible.


Chupa

Everyone calm down a bit...

I may seem like a bit of an arss on the internet, but trust me, in real life I'm actually MUCH WORSE.

A guy here in Joshua used to have three Bengal Tigers in an enclosure behind his house. One escaped one night and was discovered by a police officer one night on patrol behind the local bank. Bet you can't find that story on Google or any where else, so I guess it never happened.


Chupa

finally a post we can all agree on.

Chupathingy - You'd need about a dozen of them escaping every month to justify the number of sightings.

I won't dispute that at all. Listen, I'm not saying I believe anything brother. I think that VAST majority of the sightings can be lumped into one of two groups. "Mis-Identification" and "BS". I just can't bring myself to say it's impossible is all. I'll believe they exist when I see one. However there other things I believe in that I've never seen. God being one of them, this is why I can't say it's impossible.


Chupa

Black Cougars or Black Panthers?

Exactly!!!

It's not impossible. It's just about as likely as winning the lottery.

Looks like a big ole male feral cat to me

Yote, definitely a yote.