Drones deployed to track prowling leopard in Kovai

COIMBATORE: Drones were deployed by the Forest Department to track down a leopard, which mauled two goats to death in Thadagam near Coimbatore on Wednesday.

In the wee hours, the leopard turned up twice to prey on goats in the same farm owned by S Vijayakumar at Kalaiyanur village. Acting on the information, the Forest Department staff arrived and confirmed the predator to be a leopard by examining the pugmarks.

Following the incident, a team of Forest Department officials have enhanced vigil and asked villagers not to venture out in the evening to prevent conflict. The farm is barely 100 metres from the reserve forest area.

According to sources, Mahesh (32), a relative of the farm owner had informed the Forest Department officials that he came out of the house on hearing continuous barking of the dogs and was shocked to find the leopard making its kill around 1am. As he shouted, the leopard retreated into the forest. However, it came again to prey on another goat at around 4 am. Both the goats had died in the attack.

Forest Department officials said that they would monitor the situation for a few more days before taking a further call on the issue. However, the villagers claimed that several stray dogs have also gone missing over the last one month, while suspecting the involvement of the leopard.

Rescued leopard succumbs

Meanwhile, a leopard, which was rescued from a snare in Theppakadu in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in The Nilgiris died without responding to treatment on Tuesday. The animal was rescued, shifted to a veterinary hospital in Mudumalai and was treated by a team of experts.

“An X-Ray revealed that the animal has suffered a major fracture on its spine and its nervous system was affected resulting in its death,” said an official of MTR.