I can confirm not only by myself but with about half the town of Richwood as well that black panthers do exist in WV. I saw one myself while camping on the south fork of the Cherry River. It was about 2:00 am and my dad and I had returned to our camper for the night. We had just laid down in our beds when we heard leaves crunching and sticks snapping. I looked out the window first and with the small glow of the fire that was burning out. I could see a long and slender black cat that was about 4 or 5 feet long and a massive tail.
I whispered for my dad to look and when he did he was trying to say it was a black bear, but after he saw it’s tail he agreed with me that it was a cat, and also nothing like he had ever seen. We watched it for a good 5 or 10 minutes so I know it wasn’t mistaken identity.
Yes they do!!! One followed a friend and i while we were walking to her house from my grandmother’s it stayed just within the edge of sight and as it was beginning to get dark we rushed to her house…. needless to say when it was time for me to go home we had her dad drive me