Juvenile Leopard killed by Sheriff's Deputy in Missouri

NEOSHO, Mo. (AP) — Missouri state biologists say a big, black cat killed by a sheriff's deputy has been identified as a juvenile leopard.

Interesting. One of the first I've seen where an actual animal was captured or killed west East of the Rockies and north of Florida.

Sheriff's Corporal Donn Hall shot it last Thursday. It was reported to have charged him. He had answered a call from a woman saying the cat was scratching at her door.

Authorities think it's probably an escaped pet. Uh, who has leopards as pets besides Las Vegas stage magicians?

Anyone see a copy of this story with picture?



[edit on 23-6-2008 by Badge01]

Missouri is actually EAST of the Rocky Mountains. It is too bad that the cat had to be killed. I wonder where mommy and daddy are?

reply to post by groingrinder



That'll teach me to use Google Earth Australia!

Thanks; I was thinking east and someone on TV said something about the wild west and I mistyped.

a cougar was recently killed in Chicago. Pretty crazy a big cat like that in a dense urban area. The cops had to shoot it though. There were actually sightings of another one shortly there after but it must have disappeared or been misidentified.

Wow! That's the first time I've heard of a leopard around there. It surely must've been a pet that got loose, and I doubt the owner is going to claim it due to legal ramifications. Depending on where you live, some places do allow these kind of animals for pets. In the MO, KS area I've seen several families that were allowed to keep tigers, so this doesn't suprise me. (And these were kept in their YARD like dogs, albeit with a higher fence, lol!)
Cougars (or mountain lions) are still sighted in these areas, however these sightings are rather rare.