Pune: Leopard Sighted at Airport Still Remains Elusive; Officials Hopeful of Rescuing Animal Soon
Pune, May 29, 2025: The ongoing operation to capture a leopard spotted at Pune International Airport is in its final stage, confirmed Tushar Chavan, deputy conservator of forests (wildlife), Pune.
The fully-grown male leopard was first sighted on April 28 at 7 am and later seen resting on the runway at 8 pm, prompting immediate action from the forest department and RESQ Charitable Trust.
Authorities have restricted the leopard’s movement by cordoning off the area and deploying nine trap cameras along with cages. While flight operations remain unaffected, the rescue mission faced delays due to heightened military tensions between India and Pakistan, temporarily halting efforts under ‘Operation Sindoor’. The operation resumed on May 17 and has since intensified, though officials remain tight-lipped about specific challenges.
N R Praveen, chief conservator of forests, Pune, revealed that the leopard had entered cages twice but escaped due to technical issues. The forest department continues to coordinate with Air Force authorities, suspecting the leopard entered via an open drainage channel. Officials remain hopeful for a safe capture in the coming days.
