All the efforts of experts of the Forest Department, the Nandankanan zoo and the Similipal National Park to trap the mysterious killer animals have failed to yield any tangible result as five more sheep were found dead in the Niali area of Cuttack district on Sunday.
The unknown predator killed the five rams and injured another at Kanpur village under Pokhari panchayat on Saturday night.
The killing of sheep by unknown wild animals is giving sleepless nights to the Niali residents since last two months. The situation has turned so alarming that the sheep rearers have been forced to keep their animals even in their bedrooms to save them from being hunted down by the mysterious killers.
Besides Niali, cases of sheep deaths have also been reported from Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada and Kendrapara districts.
Recently, a two- member expert team of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) visited Niali and other parts in the State where similar incidents of sheep deaths were reported and examined aspects like the killing pattern and pugmarks of the predator animals.
later, the team claimed wolves, foxes and hyenas to be responsible for the mass killing of sheep.
Meanwhile, the Government is mulling to pay compensation to the sheep farmers affected due to killing of their animals.