Early this Sunday, July 14, a call for vigilance was launched by Montagnac Town Hall after a reliable witness claimed to have seen a panther in a heavily wooded part of town. Since then, authorities have been searching for the feline.
Early this Sunday, July 14, the town of Montagnac launched a call for vigilance on its X account after a witness claimed to have seen a panther roaming the village. “A wild animal that could resemble a panther was seen in the forest at Saint-Martin de la Garrigue. The gendarmerie is trying to determine if it is really a panther, but as doubts remain, we advise you to be more vigilant during your walk or bike ride”, explained the municipality.
A spotted animal
After contacting several competent services, we are now moving towards two other possible felines. “The witness said he saw a spotted animal, A person close to this story confirms us. We have had no warnings about a circus that had let a cat escape. Agents from the French Biodiversity Office believe it is a savannah cat or a serval. This could be more consistent with the description that was made of the animal seen.”
Both species live in southern France
According to our information, the described animal would be seen, not necessarily large, but much larger than a cat, but it appeared emaciated, although the OFB does not have cameras that track these animals in this particular sector. Although it is not impossible that a serval or a savanna could be seen in this area. The lynx does not live in our area at all, so this cat has already been removed from the list of “suspects”.
The Savannah, a cross between a cat and a serval
The fact is that many people remain on high alert if the animal reappears. To be sure of what was seen, the ideal would be to get a photo. We warn you anyway “not to try to catch him.” The Savannah is a cat breed created in the 90s that is the result of a cross between the serval and the cat. Smaller than a serval, but larger than a domestic cat, it is characterized by very large ears, spotted fur and a small shaggy tail. The serval lives in the wild in southern France. In October 2023, one of these specimens was captured in Carcassonne.
