Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Leopard Sightings Put Pune on Alert, Spur Airport and Aundh Searches

Authorities are using drones to track the animal, with aviation units told to tighten barriers around sensitive zones.

Overview

  • Forest officials and RESQ teams launched a search in Aundh after a 4 a.m. sighting near RBI Colony and Sindh Society, deploying thermal drones as the animal was not seen again through the day.
  • Pune airport reported two sightings on November 19—at 5:30 a.m. behind Bay No. 9 and at 7:40 p.m. near Taxi Link K4—prompting heightened surveillance.
  • Monitoring around Lohegaon has been underway for 15–20 days with a trap cage and multiple camera traps positioned to enable a safe capture.
  • The Forest Department formally advised the Airports Authority of India and the Indian Air Force to immediately implement measures that block entry into restricted operational areas.
  • Residents were urged to stay alert, avoid spreading unverified information, and report sightings to helpline 1926, while officials noted recent MoEFCC approval of a Maharashtra proposal for leopard birth control.