Team in Tamenglong to probe cattle attack
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, July 09 2021:
Stating that he has heard about the news of three cattle mauled to death by a carnivore believed to be tiger at Kuilong village in Tamenglong district on July 6 from chairman and church pastor of the village, Forest and Environment minister Awangbow Newmai has informed that a team of forest department has been sent to identify the predator.
All necessary actions will be taken up if the attack on the cattle was done by tiger, he assured.
Speaking to media persons on Friday, Awangbow Newmai informed that the animal that attacked the cattle might be a tiger based on the information from villagers and from the pugmarks which are around seven-eight inches long.
Discussions on the matter were held with Forest department PCCF and other high-ranking officials.
A team of Forest Department led by Tamenglong DFO has rushed to the spot and some information will be known from the report of the team, he added.
There were also reports about appearance of tiger in the area four-five years back.
The department has been investigating in this regard, he continued, while adding that there is no visible proof of presence of tiger in the area as of now.
It is also not known that whether the tiger migrated from other areas or it lives in the forest of Tamenglong as habitat.
However, from the nature of the attack on the cattle and pugmarks one could induce that the animal might be a tiger.
State government will take up every necessary step, he reiterated.
The team visiting Kuilong village included Tamei district forest officer Kh Hitler, Range Forest officer Tamei Kh Johnson and four forest guards.
Speaking to The People's Chronicle, Kh Hitler informed that the team will stay the night at Tamei and will visit Kuilong early morning.
The team will meet the villagers and will conduct trap installation.
Six camera traps will be installed in areas where the carnivore might be moving around.
The team will return from the forest after installing the cameras, he said, while urging the villagers to protect the cameras.
Stressing that Manipur will be included in tiger map of the country if photos of tiger are captured in the installed cameras, Hitler said that villagers might get several benefits if schemes like Project Tiger are taken up in the district.