The Forest Department has planned to deploy a thermal imaging drone to track the movements and location of a suspected carnivore on the prowl near Mayiladuthurai town, even as field-level teams have been mounting a round-the-clock vigil.
Pug marks of an animal found in and around Mayiladuthurai town suggest that it could be a leopard. Video grabs from surveillance cameras placed at different spots have revealed that it is an adult carnivore, said a Forest Department official.
Officials are puzzled as to how the carnivore made its way into Mayiladuthurai as there are no hillocks or reserve forest anywhere near the bustling town. The animal was first spotted near Semmankulam in Koranad in the heart of Mayiladuthurai in the early hours, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. It is believed to have moved towards Arokianathapuram a few kilometres from the town. A few pug marks have been found that suggest the carnivore is a leopard, said District Forest Officer, Nagapattinam, Abhishek Tomar.
