Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Chinta the bearcat back behind bars

Australian police thought it was a panther, but it was just a naughty bearcat lucky to be alive after his early morning escape from Melbourne Zoo.

The male binturong, also known as a bearcat, was seen scampering across the road by a motorist on Tuesday before taking refuge up a tree on the corner of The Avenue and Walker Street at Parkville, in Melbourne's inner-north, Victoria Police said.

Senior Constable Jenny McDonald from Carlton police station said she and her partner, who were called to investigate the sighting, initially thought they were dealing with a panther.



"We sort of had a bit of a look and couldn't work out what the heck it was. It looked like a bear, it looked like a cat."

Police, with help from a vet at the zoo and an animal welfare officer from the lost dogs' home, were able to subdue the bearcat after securing a noose around its neck.

"He was quite strong, the little fella."

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