Pune Airport’s Elusive Leopard Finally Captured From a Tunnel After Eight Months of Efforts
Pune, December 13, 2025: A male adult leopard that had been intermittently moving within the Pune Airport premises since April was safely darted and captured on Friday after a coordinated, multi-agency operation led by the Forest Department.
Forest officials said the eight-hour operation involved teams from the Forest Department, RESQ Charitable Trust, the Indian Air Force and Pune Airport authorities. The leopard was tranquilised inside an underground tunnel and later shifted safely for medical observation. No injuries were reported and airport operations remained unaffected.
The presence of the leopard was first confirmed on April 28, with another sighting reported on November 19. Since then, the animal had repeatedly evaded capture by moving through a complex network of underground tunnels, dense vegetation patches and low-traffic zones within the highly secured airport area.
Officials said the proximity of Indian Air Force facilities and the vast, restricted terrain made the task challenging. Forest teams had installed camera traps, live-feed cameras and cages over several months, but the leopard continued to avoid them, adapting quickly to surveillance efforts.
A breakthrough came on December 4, when camera footage confirmed that the leopard had re-entered the underground tunnel system. Acting swiftly, authorities sealed and reinforced tunnel exits, added live surveillance cameras and repositioned camera traps to track the animal’s movement in the confined space.
Based on real-time inputs, a 30-member team planned the final operation on December 11 and 12. The leopard was guided into an approximately 80-foot stretch of tunnel, allowing for controlled chemical immobilisation. Despite the difficult underground conditions, wildlife veterinarian Dr Gourav Mangla successfully darted the animal.
The leopard was then brought out safely and shifted to RESQ Charitable Trust’s Transit Treatment Centre at Bavdhan for veterinary care and recovery. Forest officials said a decision on the animal’s long-term management will be taken in line with established wildlife protocols.
Mahadev Mohite, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Pune division, said the operation showcased strong coordination among all agencies involved. “This rescue reflects months of planning, preparedness and seamless cooperation between the Forest Department, RESQ, the Indian Air Force and airport authorities,” he said.
Neha Panchamia of RESQ Charitable Trust said the capture was the result of nearly seven and a half months of sustained effort. She said teams spent weeks monitoring camera footage, resetting traps and reworking strategies in an active airport environment where aviation safety, restricted access and animal welfare had to be balanced at every step.
“This was never a simple capture. Wildlife work at this level is about patience, science and knowing when not to act,” she said, adding that the final operation succeeded because agencies trusted the process and stayed committed even when progress was not immediately visible.
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