Could the mysterious big cat be lurking in Halswell Quarry?

There has been another supposed sighting of a mystery big, black cat - this time on the outskirts of Christchurch.

Over the years there have been reported sightings of big cats in Canterbury, Otago, Southland and Marlborough, and two weeks ago in North Canterbury.

• Mystery of 'monstrous' cats reignited in South Island

Now a sighting has emerged much closer to home – the Halswell Quarry.

The trail of the possible sighting leads back to Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton Community Board chairman Mike Mora.

He heard a caller on talkback radio say they saw a cat-like animal at the quarry.

Mora then raised it at a recent community board meeting.

“He (radio caller) said he was at the top of the ridge at the quarry and he looked down and saw this big, black, cat-like animal and he went down and saw it move away really, really quickly,” Mora said.

He said the grass it was spotted in was about 1m high which means a regular size cat would not have been able to be seen in it.

Mora said he mentioned the sighting in the elected members’ exchange section of the meeting because he thinks it is something the public should watch out for.

“If there is something there, it would be just interesting to get feedback from other people. If there is one in the area, no doubt other people would have seen it.”

A Christchurch City Council spokesman said quarry staff hadn’t received any reports of big cat sightings but he said they are “always keeping an eye out.”

• Have you seen any big cats at the Halswell Quarry or elsewhere in Canterbury? Email matt.slaughter@starmedia.kiwi