Has a young calf been devoured by the puma sought in the Arras district?
While its presence was reported a fortnight ago in the vicinity of Auxi-le-Château (Pas-de-Calais), the mysterious puma remains untraceable. Research continues that a water corpse was devoured by the wanted animal has been found.
The days go by and still no trace of the puma moving freely in the Arras district for two weeks.
None, with one exception. A report made to the authorities relates the discovery of the corpse of a young animal – a prematurely stillborn calf – which could have been devoured by the so-called puma.
Decaying or devoured by the cougar?
Contacted, the state services do not prefer the time to decide. “It was brought to our knowledge that a young animal would have been devoured by the wanted animal”, admits the prefecture of Pas-de-Calais, while leaving some doubt. “But in view of the condition of the corpse found, it cannot be established the circumstances of its death or, with certainty, whether it is in advanced decomposition or whether it has been devoured”.
“It has been brought to our knowledge that a young animal would have been devoured by the wanted animal”.
Understand through this formulation that it is impossible for the moment to attribute this discovery to the sought after puma since the analyzes on the cadaver of the stillborn calf are still in progress.
A soap opera two weeks ago
A new twist as the soap opera begins at two weeks.
The first report dates back to October 13. It is around 6.30 p.m. when a local woman sees a big feline leaving Auxi-le-Château in the direction of Frévent. The police are then dispatched to the scene and the searches begin. Helicopters, patrols, veterinary teams, agents from the French Biodiversity Office… all of them track him down, without success.
However, the gendarmerie services designated to capture a photo of the animal. Early psychosis.
On social networks, at first. Everyone claims to have seen the animal. A lioness, a tiger, a puma? At the same time, research continues and easy calls from all over the department, from Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise to Berck-sur-Mer. Each track is checked, without success.
On Saturday October 16, the Pas-de-Calais prefecture reluctantly authorizes the slaughter of the animal by the louveterie lieutenants for lack of necessary information on this feline. A petition calling for “justice and respect” for the puma is then launched to save the animal and collects nearly 60,000 signatures.
Experts, rangers and ethologists offer their services to capture the living animal. In vain to date. Research to identify the animal and capture it continues in the same sector, between Arras and Auxi-le-Château. And the mystery therefore remains unresolved.
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