Pune: Leopard Captured on Camera in Ambegaon, Villagers Seek Immediate Forest Department Action
Pune, 28th July 2026: Leopard movement has once again increased across north Pune district, triggering concern among residents of Shirur, Ambegaon, Junnar and Khed talukas. The latest sighting was reported from Mengadewadi village in Ambegaon taluka, where a farmer captured a leopard crossing between two fields on his mobile phone. The video has since gone viral on social media.
The sighting comes amid growing concern over increasing incidents of human-leopard conflict in the region. In recent years, several villages in Shirur taluka have witnessed fatal leopard attacks. Most recently, a five-year-old girl was killed after being attacked by a leopard while sleeping near her house in Pimpalsuti village.
According to local residents, the farmer recorded the video at around 10.30 pm on Sunday when he spotted the leopard calmly moving from one field towards a sugarcane plantation. The footage shows the animal walking unhurriedly before disappearing into the crop, indicating its continued presence in the area.
Wildlife experts said the ongoing monsoon and the extensive sugarcane cultivation in the region provide ideal shelter for leopards, allowing them to remain concealed close to human settlements. Sugarcane fields also serve as hunting grounds, resulting in more frequent movement of the animals near villages, especially during the night.
The Forest Department had earlier captured as many as 72 leopards from different parts of north Pune district by installing cages following a rise in leopard sightings. However, officials are now facing renewed challenges as leopard movement has increased again in several villages.
Residents have urged the Forest Department to intensify patrolling in sensitive areas, install cages wherever necessary and step up public awareness campaigns to minimise the risk of human-leopard conflict.
The Forest Department has appealed to residents to avoid venturing alone into farms or sugarcane fields at night, keep a close watch on children, secure livestock in safe enclosures and immediately inform forest officials if a leopard is spotted instead of attempting to chase or disturb the animal.
Following the latest sighting in Mengadewadi, villagers have demanded that the Forest Department conduct an immediate survey of the area and implement preventive measures to ensure public safety.
