Live in Mumbai’s Marol area?Beware, leopard filmed grabbing dog, returning to same spot

A protocol will be put in place so Mumbai residents can alert the patrolling team if the leopard is spotted over the weekend

For the past three days, a leopard has been sneaking into a plot near Aarohi housing society in Marol, Andheri (East), while residents are asleep.

A screengrab from the video. (HT)

CCTV cameras installed in the housing society’s compound captured the big cat attacking and grabbing a dog on Wednesday, and returning to the spot on subsequent nights.

The incident has residents of the building, located a few km from Aarey Milk Colony, worried.

Vira Kriplani, treasurer of the society, filed complaints with the forest department on Friday, saying the plot where the leopard spotted was adjoining the residential complex. She added that the area has many trees and was earlier a nursery.

“We heard the loud cries of a dog on Wednesday night, but assumed it had been bitten by a snake as this is common. However, considering the amount of construction in this area, and the residential buildings here, we were shocked to spot a leopard moving about,” said Kriplani.

The Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), Aarey, parts of Tungareshwar, Thane and Nagla block are home to 35 free-roaming leopards, according to a 2015 count. There have seven attacks by leopards at Aarey this year, the most since 2002. The forest department trapped one animal near Film City in October. A leopard had attacked and killed a two-year-old resident of Maroshipada, a tribal village hamlet near Aarey, in July.

Forest officials told HT that they have never received complaints of leopards being spotted in this area.

“During winters, leopards move freely and quickly in areas surrounding their habitat. A lack of prey might have forced this animal to travel several kilometres in search of food,” said Sameer Inamdar, forest officer, Mumbai range.

He said a patrolling team will visit the site on Saturday night. “The team will monitor the area over the next few days. We have informed residents that if they want the animal to be trapped and relocated, they will have to write a formal application. Once it is approved by the chief wildlife warden, it can be considered,” said Inamdar.

Santosh Kank, range forest office, Mumbai said they will put a protocol in place so residents can alert the patrolling team if the leopard is spotted over the weekend. “We will conduct awareness drives after a preliminary investigation of the animal’s movement,” he said.