PENDANG: Residents of Kampung Bukit Lanjut here are concerned about their safety after a villager's cow was attacked by an unknown predator on Sunday.
Muhamad Azmi Md Hashim, 41, the cow's owner, said the community was living in fear and parents were warning children to remain indoors.
Azmi said rubber tappers were extra vigilant while working in the plantations.
"What worries people is how this unknown predator managed to kill a sizable cow. Whether it is a pack of wild dogs or a leopard, we're concerned about our safety," he said when met at the attack site near his house today.
Azmi said that on the night of the attack, he heard eerie animal cries resembling those of a clouded leopard.
"After my cows were attacked, the sounds I heard were distinct, unlike those of a tiger or dog. So, I turned to the Internet and concluded it was a clouded leopard," said Azmi, also a rubber tapper.
He believed the clouded leopard might have stalked his cow from the trees.
Hassan Ahmad, 50, another rubber tapper, supported Azmi's theory, as many tappers in the area had reported seeing clouded leopards.
"While it could be wild dogs, there haven't been any recent sightings here. However, earlier this year, rubber tappers spotted leopards.
"Clouded leopards are native to this area, and it's plausible they would prey on cows. But I'm not overly concerned because they typically avoid humans," said Hassan, who has lived in the village for 40 years.
State Wildlife Department director Jamalul Nasir Ibrahim said the department has deployed camera traps around the village to identify the attacker.
He said that based on the footprints found in the area, wild boars and wild dogs could also be the predator.
"We can rule out tigers as they would leave behind clear marks and footprints. However, to confirm, we've set up camera traps in the area.
"If it's a clouded leopard, it would usually return to the carcass to feed," he added.
Yesterday, a tiger was initially believed to have killed a pregnant cow that was found dead in the village.
Pendang Civil Defence Force officer Yuslina Yusof said her team had surveilled the area and ruled out the presence of tigers.
Jamalul later confirmed the dead pregnant cow was likely mauled by wild dogs, and not a tiger.