Leopards kill 21 goats in Kailali

By Our Correspondent Dhangadhi, Aug. 3: Wild animals have killed 21 goats in one day at Kaina of Mohanyal Rural Municipality in Kailali district on Monday.

The goats were attacked in Kalika Community Forest Area in Ward No. 7 of Mohanyal. The goats were taken by local farmers for grazing in the forest.

"The goats belonging to Dharmaraj Mijar, Nabin Baduwal, Pahila Bitalu and Sabitra Baduwal were killed," said Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Bed Prakash Joshi, spokesperson for Kailali District Police.

A team from Surgarkhal Area Police Office had reached the forest area on Monday. Locals stressed that the goats were attacked by tiger but it hasn’t been ascertained yet.

The site where goats were killed is only a few kilometres uphill from Karnali Corridor and Bardiya National Park but tigers haven’t been spotted there till date.

"The goats might have been attacked by leopard. Livestock are killed in group by leopards. Similar incidents have been recorded earlier as well. Tiger doesn’t kill so many preys at once," said Bishnu Shrestha, chief conservation officer at Bardiya National Park.

Tiger expert for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Samundra Subba also argued that the goats might have been killed by leopard.

"Tiger attacks bigger preys than goats. I haven’t heard of a tiger killing a number of goats. It should be a leopard," said Subba.

Local conservation activist Bijay Raj Shrestha said that leopards attack several preys at once but leave with only one. "The forests in Terai of Kailali have leopards and tigers. Leopards arrive at the hilly region but we haven’t seen tigers in Kuine yet."

Last year, a tiger had reached Musariya area in Basanta Corridor of Kailali district. The beast had also killed a woman and roamed around the Chure region.