KOCHI: A panchayat in North Paravoor is in the grip of a fear of foxes following a sudden increase in the population of the species first spotted in the region after the 2018 flood.
With foxes coming in packs and attacking cattle and pets, especially during the night, the worried villagers of Karumalloor panchayat approached the forest department with a demand to trap the animals and shift them back to the forest.
Officers from the Malayattoor forest division finally laid cages to trap the animals on Friday, but the foxes are yet to be caught. “The foxes were first sighted in the region in the aftermath of the 2018 flood. It’s thought that one or two might have washed ashore in the flood. But now their population has spiralled. More than anything, it’s the fear of rabies that is worrying us. These animals attack or cross-breed with dogs and other pet animals, increasing the rabies threat,” said panchayat president Sreelatha Lalu.
Manakkapady, which lies on the Aluva-Paravoor route, is the most affected. “The animals can also be sighted at many areas in the panchayat, including Thattampady, Puthukkadu, Muriyakkal, and Mambra. We’ve now written to the range forest officer (social forestry) to take the action necessary,” Sreelatha pointed out.
Laiju K M, ward member of Manakkapady North, said the pack attacks dogs and cattle at night. “They hide behind the overgrown bushes in the deserted Muriyakkal area,” he said. Following repeated requests from the villagers, the officers from the Malayattoor forest division have laid three cages in the region.“More cages are being laid near the bushes. Daily, we place meat as bait and keep watch. So far, the foxes haven’t entered the cages. The officials plan to capture the animals and leave them in deep forests,” Laiju said.
Meanwhile, a senior forest officer attached to the Kodanad range said the department will lay sufficient cages to trap and relocated the foxes. “Also, the protection force wing has been initiated to prevent untoward incidents, like an outbreak of rabies,” the officer said.