What is the large cat spotted in Manoa? First details revealed

Officials warn residents to stay alert after a large cat sighting in Manoa, Hawaii.

Officials are urging people near the University of Hawaii at Manoa to stay alert after a large cat was spotted in Manoa, Hawaii.

Large cat spotted near University of Hawaii, officials respond. (X)

Earlier this week, a concerned resident reportedly snapped a photo of the creature and shared a warning. “Be very alert, because something is out there, definitely something big,” Donovan Luis said, per KHON2 News. Some who’ve seen the image think it might be a mountain lion or some other kind of large cat.

“I called Fishing Wildlife and actually emailed them pictures,” Luis added. He said he saw the animal again the next morning around 11:15 AM. “It was just sitting there,” he said. “[It] looked like it was looking for something to eat.”

“We heard there’s a mountain lion and I do not think those are born in Hawaii,” Sophie Malooli told KHON2 News.

Another UH student, Marty Kaaua, told the outlet, “I was a little nervous and also really excited. I’m also really nosey so that’s why I ended up here.”

DLNR scour area but come up empty

The Department of Land and Natural Resources confirmed it received a report of a large cat near the East-West Centre at the University of Hawaii.

Officers from the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) searched the hillside near the East-West Center on Friday, 23 May.

“I hope they catch it, cause. Yeah, it definitely can pull one of us,” Luis said.

Interestingly, in 2022, several unconfirmed sightings of what some believed was a mountain lion on the Big Island occurred.

DOCARE spent several hours combing the area on foot and even deployed a drone to try to get a better look, but it came up empty. They asked to dial 808-643-DLNR (3567) if they see any large cat or similar thing around the mountain's east-west centre.