Forest Department sets up camera traps in Vandikaranur near Thondamuthur after two goats were killed, suspected to be by a leopard. Officials investigate the incident to confirm the identity of the carnivore.
Coimbatore: The Forest Department has set up camera traps in Vandikaranur village near Thondamuthur, Coimbatore, following the discovery of two dead goats on Thursday. The killings are suspected to be the work of a leopard.
Forest Department officials reported that the goats were found dead inside a workshop in Vandikaranur. The property owner had tethered the goats in the workshop on Wednesday evening before leaving for home. Upon returning Thursday morning, he discovered the goats dead with injuries consistent with a carnivore attack.
District Forest Officer N. Jayaraj confirmed that leopard pugmarks were observed in the area. A team led by Yashwant Ambulkar, an IFS officer undergoing training in the Boluvampatti forest range, has been formed to identify the carnivore responsible for the attack.
Ambulkar noted that the injuries found on the goats were characteristic of a leopard attack. He explained that leopards are known to be messy eaters, and the goats' intestines were found outside their bodies. However, since the forest area bordering the village is also home to Asiatic wild dogs or dholes, camera trap images are necessary to confirm the identity of the predator.
The official added that if the carnivore is indeed a leopard, there is a higher probability of it returning to the same location. As part of the investigation, autopsies were conducted on the carcasses of the goats.
The Forest Department's swift action in setting up camera traps demonstrates their commitment to identifying and monitoring wildlife movements in the area, ensuring the safety of both local residents and their livestock.
Forest Department officials reported that the goats were found dead inside a workshop in Vandikaranur. The property owner had tethered the goats in the workshop on Wednesday evening before leaving for home. Upon returning Thursday morning, he discovered the goats dead with injuries consistent with a carnivore attack.
District Forest Officer N. Jayaraj confirmed that leopard pugmarks were observed in the area. A team led by Yashwant Ambulkar, an IFS officer undergoing training in the Boluvampatti forest range, has been formed to identify the carnivore responsible for the attack.
Ambulkar noted that the injuries found on the goats were characteristic of a leopard attack. He explained that leopards are known to be messy eaters, and the goats' intestines were found outside their bodies. However, since the forest area bordering the village is also home to Asiatic wild dogs or dholes, camera trap images are necessary to confirm the identity of the predator.
The official added that if the carnivore is indeed a leopard, there is a higher probability of it returning to the same location. As part of the investigation, autopsies were conducted on the carcasses of the goats.
The Forest Department's swift action in setting up camera traps demonstrates their commitment to identifying and monitoring wildlife movements in the area, ensuring the safety of both local residents and their livestock.