Unidentified animals spotted at Imphal river bank; Forest minister conducts spot inspection

Imphal, Nov. 30 (EMN): Forest and Environment Minister Th Shyamkumar accompanied by the officials and staffs of the Forest and Wildlife department on Friday conducted a spot inspection near the banks of Imphal river at the Ningomthong Kitna Panung in Imphal following a report about an unidentified animals saw by a woman at the residential on November 29.

Speaking to reporters on the sideline of the visit, Minister Th Shyamkumar said ‘small’ animals from the mountains hunting for food might have arrived in areas near the Imphal river banks which are thickly covered with bushes.

He informed that experts from the Wildlife Institute of India will be arriving tomorrow to ascertain about the presence of the animals.

He also stated that the mysterious killing is first of its kind for the state.

A senior forest officer Th Mohendra Pratap Singh who accompanied the minister during the visit, said that the Forest department is taking necessary steps to find out the truth about the suspected animal which is believed to have responsible for them mysterious killings of the domestic livestock.

The traps are set up at the foothills and other locations to catch the predator apart from investigations at the Manipur Zoological Garden, he said. Three WII experts will expedite the investigation.

The steps has been taken up after the mysterious killings of domestic livestock particularly chickens, goat and pigs by unknown predator during night time was reported from four districts of the state since November 6. The first report came from Churachandpur district headquarters, 65 km south of Imphal on November 6. However there is no report of attack on humans so far.