The Associated Press, WHNT, WSFA, WKRG, and other media reported on the afternoon of Saturday, December 04, 2010, that Frank Harmes was recovering after being attacked by a panther near his Marshall County home, Alabama. Harmes says he was walking his dog around Greenbriar Cove behind his home near Morgan City when he heard something behind him and turned to see a black panther.

Harmes lives off of Royster Drive near Morgan City. Harmes says he moved to try to scare the panther away, but instead it attacked, ripped his pants, and clawed his leg. He says he stabbed the animal twice with a knife and it ran away. He reports the attack took place on Wednesday.

Residents of the area near near Union Grove have reported seeing the melanistic mystery cats in the past, saying they sometimes come out looking for food. Harmes says he will undergo a series of rabies shots because of the attack.



Marshall County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. Its name is in honor of John Marshall, famous Chief Justice of the United States. As of 2000 the population was 82,231. Its county seat is Guntersville.
Marshall County is a dry county, with the exception of three cities within the county, Albertville, Arab, and Guntersville. Marshall County is home to numerous outdoor recreation areas including Lake Guntersville State Park, Cathedral Caverns State Park, and Buck’s Pocket State Park.