Black Panther Spotted At Dumai Plantation
Dumai, Riau Province, June 25 (ANTARA) - A black panther was spotted at an oil palm plantation near Basilam Baru village, Dumai, Riau province, recently.
"The black panther is very big, it's about two meters long. I saw it with my own eyes when it crossed my plantation," Suprapto (50), a local prominent figure, said here Saturday.
Several weeks ago, his two dogs and ducks disappeared without trace.
"I think my dogs and ducks were eaten by the black panther," he said.
Other local residents described the presence of the black panther as "mysterious."
"It appears so suddenly, unlike tigers which often appear in the afternoon or at night," Sudir (33), who accompanied Suprapto, said.
Local people believe that tigers will show up if there are violation of the local traditions. According to them, tigers feel disturb if there are local inhabitants who are involved in gambling, or adultery and drinking activities.
However, they still don't know the meaning of the black panther presence in their village.
I have been living here for tens of years, and only this time I personally saw a black panther," Suprapto said.
Zulman, another local villager, said the black panther was not aggressive and it just left after standing at a distance of just five meters from local residents.
