Post by molloch on Apr 23, 2006 22:47:53 GMT 10
Have just returned from a camping trip on the Nullarbor, where a group of around 16 of us camped together for about 3 weeks.
One night, we were awoken to a strange gutteral calling sound, it was like a cat yowling, but seemed deeper and was followed by a few grunts. It was around 30 metres from the tent, and repeated again and again as it circled around the tents. Being an inquisitive sort, I leapt up, grabbed a halogen torch and went to have a look.
As I was getting some boots on (there are very sharp burrs) I heard the animal call for probably the 10th time and do its gutteral grunts, this time it was louder and more definitive and it was answered from a long way off. The returning call sounded almost like a dingo howl, but lower and more varied in tone.
The night was quite well starlit, I could see the animal about 30 metres away without the light. It looked like a kelpie sized animal. When I put the torch on it, it looked back at me with the palest light-blue eye-shine I have ever seen. There wasn't a hint of another colour, just pale blue. I couldn't get a good look at the animal as the torch was fading over that distance, and it took off as soon as the torch was on it.
I have no idea what it was, it didn't stand much above the salt bush, and I didn't get a clear look at it. Every one of the other people with us heard the calling and none could place the call, many having grown up on farms and knowing dingos etc. I myself have a dingo x and know the sound of dingos calling well. I also know the sound of cats calling, and it wasn't exactly a cat.
Anyway, I was wondering what your theories were? It's hard to find a definitive guide to eye-shine, and off hand I can't find an animal whose eyes return a blue. Albino animals (from memory) do return blue eyeshine so I guess this is a possibility.
Any other suggestions?
Molloch
molloch@gmail.com
One night, we were awoken to a strange gutteral calling sound, it was like a cat yowling, but seemed deeper and was followed by a few grunts. It was around 30 metres from the tent, and repeated again and again as it circled around the tents. Being an inquisitive sort, I leapt up, grabbed a halogen torch and went to have a look.
As I was getting some boots on (there are very sharp burrs) I heard the animal call for probably the 10th time and do its gutteral grunts, this time it was louder and more definitive and it was answered from a long way off. The returning call sounded almost like a dingo howl, but lower and more varied in tone.
The night was quite well starlit, I could see the animal about 30 metres away without the light. It looked like a kelpie sized animal. When I put the torch on it, it looked back at me with the palest light-blue eye-shine I have ever seen. There wasn't a hint of another colour, just pale blue. I couldn't get a good look at the animal as the torch was fading over that distance, and it took off as soon as the torch was on it.
I have no idea what it was, it didn't stand much above the salt bush, and I didn't get a clear look at it. Every one of the other people with us heard the calling and none could place the call, many having grown up on farms and knowing dingos etc. I myself have a dingo x and know the sound of dingos calling well. I also know the sound of cats calling, and it wasn't exactly a cat.
Anyway, I was wondering what your theories were? It's hard to find a definitive guide to eye-shine, and off hand I can't find an animal whose eyes return a blue. Albino animals (from memory) do return blue eyeshine so I guess this is a possibility.
Any other suggestions?
Molloch
molloch@gmail.com
original shots of my juvenile bigcat skull and a feral cat skull to compare with.
