Senior Reporter
kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
Some share scepticism, while others are excited by rumours of a jaguar sighting in their community.
However, there is a fear among residents of No4 Road, Palo Seco, that a large feline roams the forested areas around their homes. Residents claim the animal was relaxing near a pumping jack several kilometres inside the village last week. However, only two people saw it. Social media was abuzz over the weekend when someone posted that smugglers lost an adult jaguar in Palo Seco. South Western Division patrolled the village this morning on the lookout for the jaguar.
Afisha La Motte said although she has to see the jaguar to believe there is one near her home, she keeps her children close. La Motte said a neighbour spotted a “large cat” less than 100 metres from her home. Her husband, who hunts, saw a large cat recently but could not determine the species as it was night, and it fled when they chased it.
“About four days ago, the neighbour came, telling us about the cat in the area and to keep those children inside because it is a big one. About two days ago, forest rangers came back asking about it,” La Motte said.
With many Venezuelan migrants entering Trinidad through the area, La Motte said it was possible that smugglers also brought exotic animals through the south coast. She said while there were ocelots and other felines around, none were the size described by her neighbour.
Therefore, she keeps her five children, ages one month to 16 years, in her sight once they are home.
“I am not letting them out there. They usually walk up the road and play. I stopped them from doing that.”
Ramdial Katwaroo heard about a jaguar loose in the community but had not seen it. Katwaroo said he does not believe there is one and that people may have seen a large feline.
He said his family stays inside most times. His dogs are usually in the kennels, and the cats remain in the house. But if there is indeed a jaguar and he comes across it, he says, “Well, I do not know what I would do at that time because they are fast. We cannot outrun them.”
He told Guardian Media there were claims that the jaguar attacked a goat and dog. However, he has not seen it. The news team travelled to Christina Alphonso’s home, near the Palo Seco Government Primary School, to meet Lucy, the dog allegedly attacked. Alphonso said they fed Lucy last Wednesday afternoon, and when they checked her Thursday, they saw an injury on her back. She said that Lucy was always in her kennel and nothing happened before. Alphonso said after people learned of Lucy’s injury, they assumed it was a jaguar attack. However, she does not know what happened.
While people take caution, Linton Boland walks the road freely. He believes there is a “tiger cat”, saying his neighbour saw it and there was no reason to lie. However, he said if he lives in fear, he will not be able to go home.
“Well, the guy who lives not too far said he saw it when he came down. It was laying down, taking relaxation,” Boland said.
Meanwhile, Game Wardens said there was no evidence that a jaguar is roaming the village.
“We need confirmation. Right now, it is just hearsay. The habitat range for jaguars is 100 square kilometres so that can be from here to ohioho.”
They explained that a jaguar is the third largest cat, with an adult measuring five to seven feet long. They are also stealth hunters, meaning they ambush their prey and are so strong that they can kill large animals and climb a tree with them. Therefore, a dog and goat would not survive an attack.
So far, no one reported the sightings to authorities. If there are reports, the wardens will try to capture it, although they have no training in hunting those kinds of predators.
In a statement over the weekend, the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (MALF) said it was aware of the contents of a video on social media on the reported sighting of an exotic animal in south Trinidad.
“The Forestry Division of MALF cannot confirm the veracity of the claims made in the report. Officials are pursuing all leads at this time and will continue to keep the public abreast of their findings.”
