On countless occasions at this blog (see this link) I have posted data on sightings of mysterious animals in the Cannock Chase woods of central England - a location I know well, as it's situated only a few miles from where I used to live.
Here's a link to those aforementioned posts.
And now there's another new story: this one relating to a sighting of a big-cat on the Chase.
Coincidentally---or not, according to one's point of view---we've seen an upsurge in panther sightings over on our side of the pond---we had a posting over at CRYPTOMUNDO a week or so ago. Maybe you remember it?
ReplyDeleteOne thought:
Technically, of course, there is not such thing as a PANTHER, but hey, the press likes catch-all terms. PTEROSAURS are not DINOSAURS but get classified as such. Meh.
KETCHUP-CATSUP---same thing.
Do you mind the term PANTHER used in the mainstream media, NICK?
Great post, as always.
C:
ReplyDeleteI don't really mind the term, no. I think it's rather like calling the Loch Ness Monster a "monster."
In all likelihood, it's some type of animal. But the term "monster" sticks.
Same with "Flying Saucer."
As with "panther" they are all terms that the public can relate to, but that technically isn't quite correct.
But public support and media interest helps us get the word out, so it's kind of a double-edged thing in terms of whether or not we should encourage or discourage such terms, I think.
Agreed. As long as interest is generated, I don't mind. Came to that conclusion a long time ago.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is, in the UK, the term 'panther' has become used to often that pre-1980s, everyone thought a panther was a species of cat and didn't realise that in the UK it is the term to describe the 'black leopard', where of course in the US 'panther' is used to describe the puma/cougar.
ReplyDeleteI personally think it's a disaster in the UK that the press continue to get it incorrect. It's fine to state 'panther', but at least let the public know what a panther is!
As for black jaguar's in the UK, there's no evidence at all to suggest they are here. Can't believe all the mystery sometimes regarding what these black cats are. I'm sure there are some huge feral cats out there and hybrids of Jungle cats with domestics, but I don't feel the need to create mutant cats as so many researchers do, when the answers are clear.
Neil:
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know what you mean. I think what happens is that the media tends to dumb everything down nowadays and to where that combined with sloppy journalism means that these phrases get used without any of the press actually wondering if they are correct or not.