A leopard that is suspected of killing cattle in Arachalur and Perundurai areas in Erode district was caught on camera, even as the Forest Department stepped up vigil in these villages and asked people to remain cautious.
About a month ago, four goats owned by a farmer, Gopal of Kongampalayam village in Perundurai taluk, were killed by an unidentified animal that was believed to be a leopard. The animal then moved 30 km away and killed a calf and four goats in Vellivalasu and Om Sakthi Nagar respectively in Arachalur, two weeks ago. Last week, the animal again moved to Kongampalayam and killed a goat owned by Gopal.
Following these incidents, the Forest Department placed nine cages and installed camera traps at 21 places to monitor the movement of the leopard and trap it. Also, seven teams, each comprising three staff, were formed to monitor the villages round-the-clock. Efforts were also underway to study whether the animal was using the same route to move between the villages in Arachalur and Perundurai so that more cages can be placed appropriately.
A senior official at the Forest Department said animal movement was caught on a camera, following which the cages were relocated to trap it. The official added that the same animal could have been involved in killing cattle in Uthiyur village in Kangeyam in Tiruppur district as well. He said messages were being shared on social media platforms about the leopard being spotted, and this was causing panic. He asked residents not to believe in rumours, as all steps were being taken to trap it.
