SEREMBAN, Nov 28 — The Negri Sembilan Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) has advised village residents here not to leave their livestock roaming free, as a panther believed to have devoured two cows from Kampung Tengah has not yet been captured.

The department’s director Wan Mat Wan Harun said personnel were still monitoring the area and traps had been installed since November 14, about 500m from the last location it was spotted.

"So far, we have not been able to track the protected wildlife, however, we’re stepping up on the monitoring.

"The panther may have strayed out of the forest to find food,” he said when contacted by Bernama here today.

He said the public was also advised not to provoke the animal and urged to contact Perhilitan if they had any information on the animal’s whereabouts.

Meanwhile, Baharin Mohamad, 52, a resident of Kampung Tengah, Tanjung Ipoh, claimed that two of his cattle were eaten by the panther in incidents on October 30 and November 5.

"I breed 75 cows but do not keep them in the barn, instead they roam freely at a nearby farm. At first, I thought it was an act of sabotage, but after looking at the bite on the neck of the dead cow, I found it was caused by a wild animal.

"Previously, many residents claimed to have seen a panther around the village. Other friends from nearby villages also said that the panther had entered their village area and killed their livestock,” he said. — Bernama