The cage placed by the Forest Department to trap a carnivore animal at Mothepalayam village near Sirumugai was shifted to a new location after the animal remained elusive. Officials said that the cage was moved to a place close to the forest after having placed at a location close to a village for eight days.
It was on June 6 that the officials set up the trap with a dog as lure to attract the unknown carnivore animal. The measure was taken after fear gripped Mothepalayam village with where several livestock were killed by the animal at night.
“The cage was shifted to the new place as there was no movement of the animal in areas close to the village. The new location is close to forest land where the animal is likely to frequent,” said an official.
Officials suspect that the animal had come from Thennamalai hills, a forest land spread over 230 hectares and lying close to Mothepalayam.
According to Forest Department officials, the carnivore animal could be a leopard as suggested by traces found near kills and nature of attack.
Apart from livestock, the carnivore animal also preyed on several pet animals, majority of them dogs.
