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© Wikimedia Commons, Steve GarvieAn adult male golden jackal.
The baffling attack on two children by a jackal in Maulinguem, Bicholim may have been out of panic and zeal to protect her pups nearby.

A 12-year-old boy and another six year old boy were attacked by the jackal outside their house.

Forest officials and some locals tried to trace the jackal and found two dens nearby. One den was fresh and appeared to have been used. "It appears the mother was fiercely protective of her pups and attacked the children," an official said.

But forest officials ruled out that the animal was rabid. "There would have been more casualties," the official said.

A few villagers were washing clothes in a stream nearby. None of them were attacked.