SIK: A family in Kampung Galau had a shocking awakening when the noises coming from near their house turned out to be a clouded leopard inside their chicken coop early this morning.
Hafsah Taih, 54, said she immediately woke up her 62-year-old husband, Yahya Omar, after hearing loud noises coming from the chicken coop, located about 70 metres away from their house, at 5.50am.
Hafsah initially thought a python might have entered the coop to eat the chickens.
"My husband and I went to check the coop and heard something scratching the walls.
"We were shocked to find a clouded leopard inside, and it roared, scaring us," she said when contacted today.
Hafsah quickly alerted the authorities. Later, the family discovered that nine out of their 15 chickens had been mauled by the clouded leopard.
She said this was the first time a clouded leopard had been spotted in their village, leaving them concerned for their safety.
Hafsah, who is also a member of the People's Volunteer Corps (Rela), recalled previously patrolling nearby Kampung Perangkap, where she once saw paw prints resembling those of a tiger near a riverbank.
"After that, several incidents occurred where villagers' chickens and ducks were found dead, possibly attacked by the same animal," she said.
The district's Civil Defence Force team managed to capture the clouded leopard this morning, but Hafsah remained worried on the possibility of other leopards roaming the area.
"We will be extra cautious now, though I'm down to only three chickens in the coop," she added.
Meanwhile, District Civil Defence Officer Lieutenant (PA) Haisul Aishah Mohd Napiah confirmed that the leopard has been handed over to the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) for further action.