Camera traps placed to track unidentified animal killing goats in Erode’s Bhavanisagar

T.N. Forest Department places camera traps to track unidentified animal killing cattle, suspected to be a leopard.

With an unidentified animal involved in the killing of cattle at a fringe village in the Bhavanisagar area, the T.N. Forest Department has placed camera traps to track the movement of the animal.

On January 15, 2024, an unidentified animal killed three goats at a farm in Gandhi Nagar. Forest Department staff, upon investigating, found pug marks. However, they could not confirm the marks as those of a leopard. On January 17, another four goats were killed in the same area causing panic among the people. They claimed that a leopard was involved in the killings and wanted the Forest Department to place a cage to trap the animal.

Bhavanisagar Range officials said that usually a leopard would kill a goat and consumes it or drag its carcass into the forest. “We suspect stray dogs to be involved in the killings. But we have placed camera traps to identify the animal,” they added. 

Officials said if footage shows the movement of the leopard, cages would be placed to trap it. People have been asked not to venture out during the night, and have also been asked to keep their cattle in safe places. Residents were also asked not to take their goats to graze deep into the forest.