Leopard Still Roaming Pune Airport; Bird and Dog Menace Raises Safety Alarm
Viman Nagar, 17th July 2025: Civil Aviation Minister of State and Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol on Wednesday confirmed that the leopard first spotted near Pune Airport’s runway in April is still entering and exiting the premises. Authorities are now working to identify and secure the animal’s suspected routes of access.
Speaking after a high-level meeting with multiple agencies including the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the forest department, Mohol said, “We’ve directed the forest officials to inspect stormwater drain routes believed to be used by the leopard. These channels will be fenced off to prevent further entry.”
The meeting was convened to address growing concerns over frequent wildlife and bird activity around the airport. Officials have flagged 11 specific locations as hotspots for animal movement, which could compromise flight safety. “Areas like the Hadapsar garbage dump and the Wagholi vegetable market are among the major contributors to this issue. The PMC has been instructed to come up with sustainable solutions,” Mohol added.
Pune Municipal Commissioner Dr. Naval Kishore Ram, who was also present at the meeting, announced plans to personally inspect the airport premises this Friday. “Based on information from airport authorities and the Indian Air Force, these 11 areas pose a serious threat due to animal and bird movement. Post inspection, we will decide the necessary course of action,” he said.
Wildlife activity in and around airports is a well-known aviation hazard. Recent incidents at Pune Airport have heightened safety concerns. On June 20, an Air India aircraft arriving from Delhi reported a bird strike post-landing, while on June 29, an Air India Express flight from Bhubaneswar was forced to abort landing due to a dog on the runway.
Confirming the ongoing leopard presence, Chief Conservator of Forests Ashish Thakare said the animal has been detected within the airport boundary and that a RESQ Charitable Trust (RESQ CT) team is actively monitoring its movements.
Neha Panchamiya, president of RESQ CT and member of the Maharashtra State Wildlife Board, said the leopard appears to be using the stormwater drainage network to traverse the airport. “We’ve secured sensitive zones like the runway and taxiways to prevent the leopard from reaching those areas. However, the extensive airport premises, coupled with multiple access points, make it difficult to control wildlife movement entirely,” she explained.
Panchamiya added that 16 to 20 trap cameras have been installed at various points inside the airport over the last three months to track animal activity. “The larger issue here is mismanaged waste around the airport. Poor garbage disposal is attracting not just stray animals but also scavenger birds, which pose serious risks to air travel,” she noted.
