Kendrapara: Two lambs were killed by a mysterious animal last night creating panic among the villagers of Rajagada in Rajnagar block. The two lambs belonged to farmer Malati Satapathy.
Sources said four days back the predator killed her six sheep after entering the cattle shed. Eleven sheep, including two lambs, of Malati Satapathy, were killed by the mysterious animal in seven days.
The villagers saw the predator and chased it while it was fleeing from the cattle shed but could not nab the animal.
Malati said, “The forest personnel of Rajnagar wildlife division had asked me to keep the sheep in a well protected cattle shed. So I kept them in a strong shed. But the animal jumped through the wall and killed two lambs”.
“The animal’s front legs are smaller than back legs. The species is not jackal. We have not seen such an animal,” said the villagers.
Later, the villagers brought the matter to the notice of the Rajnagar forest personnel. As a result, a team led by forester Kapilendra Pradhan and an anti-poaching squad rushed to the spot. They seized the carcasses of the lambs and sent it for autopsy to the Rajnagar veterinary office. The lambs died due to throat choking and bleeding in the lungs as the carnivore inflicted a deep injury on the sheep’s neck, said Ranger Amaresh Nath Pradhan.
The pugmarks of the animal were found on the wall. Forest personnel failed to identify the species.
“We have intensified night patrolling since three days, but failed to nab the predator. Meanwhile, forest personnel and the anti- poaching squad and the locals of Rajagada are trying to nab the predator. Let’s hope we would nab the animal”, said forester Kapilendra Pradhan.
Meanwhile, panic gripped sheep farmers of Rajagada village as the mysterious animal had been coming to the village and killing the sheep of a fellow villager.
The forest department has appealed to locals to remain alert and cooperate with forest personnel at night. It urged sheep farmers to keep sheep in a secure place under lights.
PNN
