I don't give a damn what anybody says, I, along with a good friend, saw a large black cat around 1974 in Barbour county about 8:00 am on a clear frosty morning at about 25 yards away. No doubt about it.

Color variation

A melanistic jaguar is a color morph which occurs at about 6 percent frequency in populations
Melanistic jaguars are informally known as black panthers, but as with all forms of polymorphism they do not form a separate species. The black morph is less common than the spotted morph, estimated at occurring in about 6% of the South American jaguar population.[35] In Mexico's Sierra Madre Occidental, the first black jaguar was recorded in 2004.[36]

Some evidence indicates that the melanistic allele is dominant, and being supported by natural selection.[37] The black form may be an example of heterozygote advantage; breeding in captivity is not yet conclusive on this. Melanistic jaguars (or "black" jaguars) occur primarily in parts of South America, and are virtually unknown in wild populations residing in the subtropical and temperate regions of North America; they have rarely been documented north of Mexico's Isthmus of Tehuantepec.[38]

Extremely rare albino individuals, sometimes called white panthers, also occur among jaguars, as with the other big cats.[24] As usual with albinos in the wild, selection keeps the frequency close to the rate of mutation.

Distribution and habitat

The jaguar inhabits a variety of forested and open habitat, but is strongly associated with the presence of water.[24]
At present, the jaguar's range extends from Mexico through Central America to South America,

Large cats with long tails, call them what you want. I don't believe in ghost, bigfoot, the grassy knoll, and I've never seen an alien or ufo, but I did see a large black cat with a long tail, and really don't care who believes me.

It's absolutely impossible, right?
Jagurandi exist.
Why does anyone ASSUME when somebody sees something they'e saying viable breeding population? A single Mtn Lion from out West traveled 2,000 plus miles and was run over on the NJ Turn Pike, he was wearing a collar so he was known.
Just 5 years ago people were laughed at if they seen a Mtn Lion in TN, now there is 10 plus proven cases.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar

I seen a camel in Elba back in the 90's

What are you saying? Jagarundi, Mountain LIons/cougars/pumas/panthers, and jaguars are three different species.

Yep.

Threads like these make me hope I don't hunt around some of the people here.

Me too.

Yep