The carcass of a cow that was killed by a leopard was found near Hosur village in Talavadi here.
Forest officials said villagers found the carcass on Tuesday evening and alerted the Talavadi Range Office.
On Wednesday, officials inspected the spot and found pugmarks and confirmed leopard’s presence. Camera traps were placed to track the movement of the animal. On Wednesday night, the leopard returned and consumed the portion of the carcass and left.
Officials said that a defunct quarry with bushes and boulders was located in the area and the leopard could have used the place as a hideout to enter the village and hunt its prey. They added that no farmer had come to claim ownership of the cow.
The quarry owner from Erode were asked to clear the bushes and the public were advised not to venture near the quarries or the barren lands in the area. Drones would be used for surveillance, the officials said and added that a cage would also be placed to trap the animal. This is the fourth cattle kill reported in Talavadi since May 31. Three had been killed by a tiger.
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