No Leopard Movement at Pune Airport; Forest Department Continues Vigil with Repositioned Traps
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Viman Nagar, 3rd May 2025: Five days after a leopard was sighted near the runway of Pune Airport, forest officials confirmed that there has been no fresh movement of the animal.
The leopard, first spotted around 8 pm on April 28, triggered a joint response from the Forest Department and wildlife rescue NGO RESQ, who have since been monitoring the premises of the Air Force Station, which shares the runway with the civilian airport.
“There was no leopard movement observed last night. We are currently repositioning camera traps at some sensitive locations identified with the help of the dog squad,” said Mahadev Mohite, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), Pune Division, in an update issued on Saturday night.
Although the leopard has not been directly sighted since the initial incident, forest teams are continuing round-the-clock surveillance using an extensive setup comprising 13 camera traps, four trap cages, and four live monitoring cameras.
“Tonight, monitoring will continue in the same manner as yesterday,” Mohite added, noting that teams remain on high alert and any significant development will be communicated promptly.
The sighting had raised concerns about aviation safety and the presence of a large predator in a high-security zone. Since April 28, forest officials and RESQ teams have been stationed on the Air Force campus, coordinating closely to trace the elusive animal.
Officials say the ongoing operation aims to ensure public safety and also prevent any harm to the leopard. The forest department is relying on a combination of traditional tracking methods and modern surveillance to safely locate and possibly capture the animal if it is still within the premises.
