Pune Airport Leopard Captured After Months-Long Search in Underground Tunnels
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Viman Nagar, 12th December 2025: A months-long operation to capture a male adult leopard roaming inside Pune Airport ended successfully on Thursday after a coordinated effort by multiple agencies led to the animal being tranquilised inside an underground tunnel and safely retrieved. The high risk operation lasted over eight hours.
Forest officials confirmed that the leopard, first spotted on 28 April 2025, had been navigating a maze of tunnels, thick vegetation and low-footfall zones within the airport, repeatedly evading capture. Despite continuous monitoring through camera traps, live surveillance and trap cages, the animal managed to avoid all early attempts.
Tunnel Tracking Triggered Final Operation
On 4 December, the leopard was again detected inside the airport’s underground tunnel network. Authorities immediately sealed several tunnel exits, reinforced barricades and rearranged surveillance equipment to track its movement more precisely.
Based on updated data, a tightly planned operation was launched on 11 December. A 30-member team from the Pune Forest Department, RESQ Charitable Trust and the Indian Air Force worked together to guide the animal into an 80-foot stretch of tunnel where immobilisation was possible without risking personnel or airport operations.
Inside the narrow and dark tunnel, wildlife veterinarian Dr Gourav Mangla darted the leopard from a challenging angle after it damaged two live cameras during the operation.
“The operation demanded precision, patience and constant reassessment,” Dr Mangla said. “I had to take a clean shot in extremely confined conditions, and the team’s discipline made that possible.”
The leopard was safely moved out of the tunnel and transferred to the Transit Treatment Centre in Bavdhan, where it is recovering under observation.
‘A Model of Inter-Agency Coordination’
Pune Division Deputy Conservator of Forests Shri Mahadev Mohite said the success reflects the city’s preparedness for complex wildlife scenarios within critical infrastructure.
“This operation shows what strong coordination and planning can achieve,” Mohite said. “All teams—from the Forest Department to RESQ, the Indian Air Force and airport authorities—worked seamlessly over several months.”
RESQ Charitable Trust Founder and President Neha Panchamiya noted that wildlife captures in sensitive areas require strategy rather than speed.
“Every situation is unique. Wise, measured decisions backed by data, technology and teamwork ensure outcomes that protect both people and animals,” she said.
Airport Operations Unaffected
Officials confirmed that no human injuries were reported and that airport functioning continued normally throughout the capture effort.
The Forest Department will decide on the leopard’s long-term rehabilitation as per protocol.
The successful operation marks the end of an exhaustive eight-month surveillance and rescue mission, highlighting the challenges of wildlife movement in expanding urban landscapes and the importance of coordinated, evidence-based responses.
