The carcass of a goat was spotted near Idayarpalayam on Saturday.

Even while the residents are blaming it on a carnivore such as leopard or tiger as pug marks were found in the area recently, the Forest Department has ruled out movement of any carnivore.

District Forest Officer M. Senthil Kumar said that the big cats kill only what they need to consume.

In this case, the carcass has been left behind.

Neither a tiger nor a leopard would have had much difficulty in carrying a goat back to the forests.

No confirmation

This attack, he said, was more likely to have been committed by stray dogs.

There has been no confirmed sighting of carnivores in the area so far, he added

Residents are blaming it on a carnivore such as leopard or tiger as pug marks were found recently