KUALA PILAH – Residents of a village here have appealed to the state Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) to search for what is believed to be a panther that has been attacking their livestock since October.
The residents from Kampung Tengah Ulu, Tanjung Ipoh, last encountered the big cat at 12.45am today, when several villagers and police from the Tanjung Ipoh station were on patrol in the village.
Village Community Management Council chairman Hasmeon Mat Arbak said they saw what they thought were the panther’s pugmarks and one of their torchlights picked out a pair of orange eyes at an abandoned orchard about 50m away.
“The animal ran off upon seeing us,” he said, adding that the pugmarks sighting was the first after villagers had reported that the panther had killed their livestock.
“I have received three reports of villagers coming across the panther. Some have reported seeing it crossing the road at night as they travelled on motorcycles.”
Meanwhile, state Perhilitan director Wan Mat Wan Harun said the department is closely monitoring the area with a camera installed near a tiger trap set up on November 14, as well as by using a lamb as a bait. – Bernama, December 6, 2020
