RAUB: A black panther (Panthera pardus) on the prowl at orchards in Sungai Liang, Cheroh near here, is believed to have killed 10 dogs since last month, triggering fear among farmers.
The farmers, including durian planters, no longer work at their farms till late in the evenings. Many opt to go into the orchards in groups or leave before the area gets dark. Some of the orchards are cultivated with pineapple groves and mangosteen trees.
Durian farmer Wilson Chang, 42, said the farmers felt uneasy about their safety when they went to work at the farms as the panther from a nearby hill had turned the orchards into a hunting ground for food.
"For more than a month, we noticed the guard dog population at the farms declining. The orchards are located about 1km from the main road and there used to be many dogs roaming the area. These days most of the guard dogs are missing.
"The guard dogs were killed one after the other. The 'big black cat' usually attacks early in the morning between 5am and 6am. My brother-in-law found four of his guard dogs attacked by the panther while another farmer lost six of his dogs," he said when contacted today (Oct 7).
Chang said in the latest incident on Sept 28, his brother-in-law had gone to the farm about 7am and noticed his dogs restless.
"They appeared to have seen something and appeared terrified. My brother-in-law walked further into the plantation to inspect but the dogs refused to accompany him. Then he saw the carcass of his dog with fresh blood stains.
"He claimed that the dog might have only been attacked minutes before he arrived as the carcass was still warm and there were no flies infesting it.
Farmers have spotted the panther's paw prints in the area and a few claimed they had even spotted the animal," he said.
Chang said he had alerted the Pahang Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) on Sept 31 before they arrived to place a cage to capture the animal on Oct 2.
Meanwhile, Pahang Perhilitan director Rozidan Md Yasin said rangers from the department had gone to inspect the animal's paw prints found at the orchards and had set up a cage to trap the panther.
Caption:
1. A dog carcass believed to have been mauled by a panther was found in an orchard at Sungai Liang, Cheroh in Raub last week.
2. Pahang Wildlife and National Parks Department setting up a cage to trap the panther at an orchard in Sungai Liang, Cheroh in Raub on Oct 2.
3. Paw prints believed to belong to a panther were found near the orchards in Sungai Liang, Cheroh in Raub last week.