Cool videos. I like the cat at about 0:46 on the first tape.
The thing I don't understand is what the possible purpose of a cover-up would be. Why bother? We don't hide the existence of non-natives animals like camels, foxes and so on, so it wouldn't be because they are non-native. Also we don't hide the existence of dangerous species which are often a considerable pest to the community - thinking of box jelly fish, blue ringed occies, great whites and plenty of other killer marine animals, funnel webs, deadly snakes that lurk everywhere........ so what's the point in hiding evidence about big cats?
Who cares if they were escapees from a circus. Who cares if they were exotic pets that got loose. Why wouldn't the authorities just document it and be open about it. When a lion escaped from the Lion Park that used to be half way between Gold Coast and Brisbane, no one tried to hide the fact.
Personally, I think someone is cashing in on the whole big cat scenario. Rather like yowie or bigfoot hunting. If you talk things up enough, tourists are bound to turn up in the area eventually. So if you find a carcass of a big cat it would probably be in the best interests of continuing the money-making tourist possibilities - if you hid the carcass. Point being that if they were open about it, it would become as boring as snakes, camels or anything else.
It strikes me that any cover-up is bound to be linked to someone making a profit somewhere along the way. I suspect some farmers would be paid for footage even, if they were savvy enough to strike a deal for footage of a big cat, killiing some of their stock.
