Chain pet dogs, appeals Forest Department
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 03 2018:
Even as the mysterious killing of domestic animals by unknown predators at different places across the State since sometime back was discussed at the level of the Chief Minister today, Forest Department has appealed to all the people not to let loose pet dogs.
Together with Forest Department officials, high ranking police officers and the Wildlife Institute of India scientists, Chief Minister N Biren held a meeting this afternoon where the mysterious killing of domestic animals was deliberated at length.
The Chief Minister instructed the Forest Department officials to inform the public about the precautionary measures it has taken up so as to allay people's fear of the unknown predators.
Presenting a report on the several measures taken up by Forest Department in association with WII scientists, CCF (Wildlife) Anurag Vajpayee said that three camera traps were laid at Sangaiprou Mamang Leikai yesterday and the cameras recorded a dog's attempt to enter a ducks' coop.
But the owner ot the house said that the dog does not belong to the locality.
Saying that the WII scientists are determined to study the issue by keeping away all pet dogs, the CCF (Wildlife) appealed to all the people to chain all pet dogs and not to let them loose during the next four weeks particularly during night.
He further appealed to all pet dog owners to inform police if any of their pets are missing.
A report was received today from Wangjing Wangkhei, Thoubal district where some fowls were killed by an unknown creature.
Experts have moved to the area to lay camera traps, Anurag said.
Citing comments made by wildlife forensic experts, Anurag said that wolves are not found in Manipur even though wolves were behind the similar killing of domestic animals in Odisha last year.
Even though wolf dogs are found in Nagaland, they are very rare in Manipur.
As such, the experts have been studying whether the killings are perpetrated by jackals (Huithou) or pet dogs, said the CCF.
The experts have also been studying whether the predators are Leopard Cats (Keijenglang) or Jungle Cats (Lam Houdong).
Even though the post mortem report given by Veterinary Department on the killing of some domestic animals at Churachandpur says that the domestic animals might have been killed by predators having sharp teeth, the WII scientists opined that the domestic animals might have been killed by human beings as the carcasses bore no teeth marks and they were ripped open very cleanly.
CCF Anurag Vajpayee further ruled out involvement of any predator in the killing of a cow and dismemberment of a cow's hom at Kangpokpi.
Nonetheless, police would examine the cases of killing domestic animals in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi.
A senior Biologist of WII who has immense knowledge of wild dogs arrived here today and he has joined the ongoing study into the mysterious killing of domestic animals in the State, Anurag said.
He said that 24 camera traps would be laid at different places.
Meanwhile Forest Department wrote to the State Government today to form task forces which would assist the department in catching and/or identifying the unknown predators.
The task force which would comprise of SP, District Veterinary Officer and DFO will be headed by the respective DC as chairman.
The department has activated all its field staff and they have started carrying out combing operations at suspected places, he added.
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