The Forest Department has set up camera traps at Srimadurai in Gudalur, to ascertain if a carnivore was preying on cattle in the area.
The residents of the area had complained to the Forest Department that a carnivore, which they claim to be a tiger, had killed four cows and a few goats over the last two months.
After the latest incident over the weekend, the department set up three camera traps in the surrounding area where the carcass of the cow was found, to photograph the animal.
G. Ramakrishnan, Forest Range Officer, Gudalur Forest Range, said that the animal had preyed on two cattle over the last few days, prompting the department to step up vigilance in the area.
“As the area where the cattle were lifted is very close to the border of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, it is possible that the animal responsible could be a tiger,” said Mr. Ramakrishnan, who said that the camera traps would continue to function.
Forest department officials said that 20 watchers and guards from both the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and the Gudalur forest range have been posted in the area to respond to any emergencies reported from the area. They said that footage from the camera traps set up on Sunday had been reviewed and there was no evidence of any movement of tigers in the area. “It could be that the animal has moved out of the area, but we will continue monitoring the situation,” a forest department official said.
