New species and sub species are discovered all the time. Y'all hear about the new bass in Florida? There have been many times when a "mythological" creature or color variation was known by "unconfirmed" observations for decades before finally being confirmed by the scientific authorities of the day.
Proving negatives is almost impossible in science. Even if a specific sighting has a more reasonable explanation, that does not prove there is no black panther, just that a specific instance is unconvincing.
I have no idea if this sighting is real or not. I'd be more impressed if a qualified scientist made a full investigation such as photographing and casting the prints before dismissing the claim out of hand. The size and weight of an animal can be accurately estimated from a good print. The photograph leaves open the question of scale.
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