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Leopard Caught After Airport Hide-and-Seek
12 Dec
Summary
- A leopard was safely captured after roaming Pune Airport for weeks.
- A multi-agency operation utilized camera traps and tunnel tracking.
- Airport operations continued uninterrupted during the entire capture.
An adult male leopard, sighted intermittently at Pune Airport since late April, has been safely captured by forest officials. The elusive big cat skillfully navigated the airport's extensive grounds, using underground tunnels, dense vegetation, and low-traffic zones to its advantage. Its presence posed a unique challenge given the sensitive nature of the operational airport.
Capture efforts involved a sophisticated, multi-agency operation led by the Forest Department, with crucial collaboration from RESQ Charitable Trust, the Indian Air Force, and Pune Airport authorities. Extensive monitoring with camera traps and live cameras was employed, though the leopard repeatedly evaded trap cages. The breakthrough came when its movement into underground tunnels was detected, allowing teams to confine and track it.
A 30-member team successfully guided the leopard into an 80-foot tunnel before a wildlife veterinarian tranquilized it. The leopard has recovered and is under observation at a transit center. Remarkably, no human injuries occurred, and airport operations continued without disruption throughout the entire process.
