Pune: Injured Leopard Rescued In 4 Hours Long Operation Near Otur
Junnar, 27th December 2022: A farmer residing in Pimpalgaon Joga village, located in the Otur Forest Range of Pune district, was shocked to find a leopard making its way into an agricultural field. The big cat had settled itself by the side of a highway and was rescued in a 4-hour-long operation by the Maharashtra Forest Department and Wildlife SOS.
Last week, a local farmer from Pimpalgaon Joga village came face-to-face with a leopard in his agricultural field. Fearing for his safety, he immediately informed the Forest Department, who in turn called the Wildlife SOS team – operating out of the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre in Junnar – for assistance.
Armed with the necessary rescue equipment such as safety nets, trap cage and protective gear, the team travelled over 35 km to reach the location. The team first located the leopard and secured the area, and after a 4-hour-long tense operation, the Wildlife SOS veterinarian tranquillised the animal from a safe distance.
The leopard is suspected to have suffered a limb injury and is currently under medical observation at the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre in Junnar.
Dr. Chandan Sawane, Veterinary Officer, Wildlife SOS said, “The leopard was nestled amidst the shrubs so our team had to borrow the assistance of a JCB excavator machine so that we could mount it to get a clear view. After securing the animal, we discovered that it was a male, approximately 6 years old. Further examination revealed that its right forelimb appears to be fractured, possibly from a vehicular collision. The leopard is currently being stabilised with painkillers and fluid therapy, and further treatments will be carried out depending on its condition.”
Vaibhav Kakade, Range Forest Officer, Otur Forest Range revealed, “The leopard had crossed the road and went over to the side of the agricultural field where it had taken refuge in the bushes. After the farmer spotted the animal and informed us, the forest department and Wildlife SOS team rushed to carry out the rescue operation.”
Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder and CEO, Wildlife SOS said, “This was our fifth leopard rescue of this month. Historically, the winter months are quite active for our team in terms of leopard rescue cases, and situations involving leopard sightings are higher during this time. One of the reasons for this is the shorter days as there is an early sunset and late sunrise. These are parts of the day when leopards are quite active, which also coincides with human activities. As a result, there is an increased chance of human-leopard interface.”
Join Punekar News Whatsapp Group, Telegram, Instagram And Twitter For Regular Update about Pune City And Pimpri-Chinchwad
