E-Paper
After Aundh & Pune Airport, forest dept. flooded with leopard sighting calls
Deputy conservator of forests (Pune) Mahadev Mohite said that tracing the origin of fake images and videos circulating on social media remains a major challenge
Following the confirmed leopard sightings near Pune airport and in Aundh, the forest department has been inundated with leopard sighting calls from residents, close to 90% of which turn out to be false alarms – either mistaken claims; or images and videos generated using artificial intelligence (AI).
A senior forest official said, “Until recently, we would receive around 10 calls a week, and most of them were genuine. But over the past few days, the number has shot up to nearly 40 calls a day. Close to 90% of these calls turn out to be false alarms — either mistaken claims; or images and videos generated using artificial intelligence. Yet every alert must be verified, and that has created tremendous pressure on our teams.”
Manoj Barbole, range forest officer, Pune forest department, said, “Since the leopard sighting in Aundh, we have been receiving at least 40 calls a day from various parts of Pune. As per procedure, we must verify each claim so our teams are visiting every location to confirm whether a sighting is genuine or fake. We found that at least 90% of these claims are either mistaken or based on AI-generated images and videos. This has put significant pressure on the department which is already handling serious situations in Aundh and at Pune airport, and we have had to call for additional manpower from areas such as Sinhagad and Paud.”
Deputy conservator of forests (Pune) Mahadev Mohite said that tracing the origin of fake images and videos circulating on social media remains a major challenge. “Most of these AI-generated clips are being shared widely on WhatsApp, making it difficult to identify who started the rumours,” Mohite said, adding that the police have been alerted to help curb the spread of misinformation.
Mohite has urged citizens to stay alert and avoid forwarding unverified messages that can trigger unnecessary panic. “People should follow safety guidelines and verify any message, photo or video before sharing it further on WhatsApp groups or other social media platforms,” he said.
Earlier on November 21, the Pune forest department received information from the Pune airport authority regarding fresh leopard sightings — first at 5.30 am, and then at 7.40 pm on November 19 — behind bay number 9, and in the vicinity of taxi link K4 at Pune airport, respectively. According to officials, the monitoring of this leopard has been underway for the past 15 to 20 days within the jurisdiction of Lohegaon village. A trap cage has been installed and a few trap cameras have also been placed in the area.
The next day on November 22, another call about a leopard sighting came from RBI Colony and Sindh Society in Aundh. The forest department inspected the area, and confirmed the presence of the animal through hair samples and pugmarks.
The back-to-back sightings triggered citywide panic, amplified further by rumours on social media about leopard sightings in Ghorpadi, Dhayari, Bavdhan, Guruwar Peth, Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), and many other areas. This led to a dramatic spike in calls made to the department.
