Leopard found in Chakan chawl, rescued after two-hour operation

The Wildlife SOS team operating out of the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre in Junnar was called to assist in the rescue operation

Residents in Chakan, close to the Pune-Nashik highway, were caught off guard in the early morning hours when a leopard was discovered sitting in a narrow passage at a chawl.

Leopard sitting in a narrow passage at a chawl. (HT PHOTO)

The incident was immediately reported to the Forest Department and 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.

Amol Satpute, IFS, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) 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 looped was carefully tranquillised. 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 nervy residents locked themselves indoors. After getting a closer look, we confirmed that it was a male leopard, estimated to be 6 years old. The leopard is under temporary observation.”