It's a what?!

So get this- I just got home from a conversation with a few of my neighbors. Walking back from class I stopped to talk to my neighbor Mana Angelina. Another neighbor passed by and the two started talking in Changana (so I didn't catch a word of it) but I did pick up on the emotion behind the words- excitement, terror, confusion. The nameless neighbor turned and spoke to me for the first time ever- "Mana Ana, fechar o porto bem, e nao pode apagar as lampadas. Nao pode sair a noite!" translation- Ana, close your door well, don't turn off the lights, and you cannot leave at night! I turned to Mana Angelina and inquired porque- My guess was a ladrao (theif) was in the neighborhood. But no, no theif, it's a wild beast. Nobody knows exactly what it is- some say large cat (leopard? cheetah?) others large monkey (chimpanzee? gorilla?) but whatever it is has been killing and eating goats in the middle of the night. Two nights ago two goats killed by the market, last night 3 at a house just down the street from mine. But what is this beast?!?! LION? TIGER? BEAR? I want to see it! I can't promise I won't go looking for it in the night, but I do promise I'll take my machette with me :)