Thermal imaging drone to track elusive carnivore
Pug marks of the animal suggest that it is a leopard; the drone is expected to help monitor the animal’s movements in order to capture it, say Forest Department officials
The Forest Department has planned to deploy a thermal imaging drone to track the movements and the location of a suspected carnivore on the prowl near Mayiladuthurai, even as fieldlevel teams have been mounting a roundtheclock vigil.
Pug marks of an animal found in and around Mayiladuthurai suggest that it could be a leopard. Video grabs from surveillance cameras placed at different spots had revealed that it was 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 of Wednesday.
It was believed to have moved towards Arokianathapuram a few kilometres from the town. A few pug marks had been found that suggest the carnivore was a leopard, said Nagapattinam District Forest Officer Abhishek Tomar.
The department has deployed fieldlevel teams to track the movement of the animal, besides carrying out patrolling on Wednesday night and Thursday. They have also made announcements to the general public to remain vigilant.
The department has set up a control room near Mayiladuthurai. Experts from Anamalai Tiger Reserve in Coimbatore with camera traps and cages are expected to join the Forest Department teams to capture the animal.
Leopards emerged in normally the evening and night hours. Hence, the department had planned to deploy a thermal imaging drone to track the movement of the elusive animal. The drone, which was to come from Dharmapuri, would be useful for surveillance during the night hours to trace the animal’s location, Mr. Tomar.
In view of the panic, a holiday was declared for seven schools in Mayiladuthurai on Thursday as a precautionary measure. Police protection was provided to four other schools to enable students write the ongoing Class ◣ examination, said official sources. Police sources said personnel were advising the general public in and around Koranad to remain extremely cautious in view of the animal’s movement and to desist from sending their children out alone in open areas.