A leopard that made itself at home inside a chawl near the Pune-Nashik highway at Chakan Tuesday morning was rescued in a two-hour-long operation by the Maharashtra Forest Department and Wildlife SOS.
The big cat was found sitting in a narrow passage at the slum and the incident was immediately reported to the forest department. A team of forest officers rushed to the location at 6 am. The Wildlife SOS team operating out of the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre in Junnar was also called to assist in the rescue operation. The teams were equipped with safety nets, a trap cage and protective gear, an official statement issued Tuesday said.
The forest officers and local police implemented crowd control measures while the Wildlife SOS veterinary doctor immobilised the leopard from a safe distance. The animal is currently under medical observation of Wildlife SOS.
Amol Satpute, Divisional Forest Officer for Junnar Division, said, “We suspect that the leopard was hit by a vehicle and was trying to find a spot to rest. This is a densely populated area so the leopard sighting caused a wave of panic among the residents. To avoid any untoward incident, we first managed the crowd and after assessing the surroundings, the leopard was carefully tranquilised. The rescue operation was carried out swiftly and efficiently by the team.”
Mahendra Dhore, Project Manager, Wildlife SOS said, “The leopard was sitting inside a narrow passageway so the residents locked themselves indoors. After getting a closer look, we confirmed that it was a male leopard, estimated to be six years old. The leopard is under temporary observation.
