COIMBATORE: The Tirupur Forest department officials have installed a 'surveillance camera trap' to confirm the movement of a leopard in human habitats near Vallagundapuram in Udumalpet taluk, after a wild animal killed three calves on Wednesday.
The three calves were found lying dead in the cattle shed of a 55-year-old farmer, Sundaram, in a village near Vallagundapuram on Wednesday evening when he returned with his cows that he had taken for grazing in a nearby hill area, sources said on Thursday.
On his return Sundaram was shocked to see that the three dead calves had suffered injuries and bite marks in their neck and stomach. On information, Forest department staff rushed to the spot and seeing pugmarks on the ground, they confirmed it could be a leopard attack. Hence, to know the size of the animal they have installed camera traps at the spot.
Accepting the request of the villagers, the Forest department has also kept a cage leaving the carcasses inside it, to catch the animal for relocating it.
Forest department officials have asked the villagers not to touch the cameras as well as not to go anywhere near the spot during night hours.
