The leopard had strayed from its natural habitat near Pavana dam and reached Pansole village. (Representational image via Unsplash)A leopard was sighted in a residential area in Pune district’s Maval taluka Monday for the first time in two years. The injured leopard was rescued by officials of the forest department.
The leopard was sighted within a building compound around 8 am on Monday by local residents who immediately alerted the forest department. The big cat had strayed from its natural habitat near Pavana dam and reached Pansole village. A team led by Forest Range Officer Hanumant Jadhav soon reached the spot and rescued the animal. Lonavala Rural Police Inspector Kishor Dhumal and his team also reached the spot.
“The leopard was found in an injured state at the barbed fence of a residential place. It must have come in search of prey. However, it seemed to have failed to scale the barbed fencing to make a getaway and injured itself in the process,” Assistant Conservator of Forest Ashotush Shendge told The Indian Express on Tuesday.
The leopard, estimated to be eight to nine months old, was first tranquilised and then treated for injuries by the veterinary team. “It had suffered minor injuries. After treatment, the leopard was sent to Rescue Charitable Trust, Bhugaon,” Shendge said. It will be examined by a veterinary team and then released into its natural habitat, officials said.
In Maval taluka, leopards are primarily found in and around the Pavana dam which is about 40 km from Pimpri-Chinchwad. “In the last two years, this is the first time a leopard has been sighted in a residential area,” officials said.