VIDEO: Leopard Still On The Loose At Pune Airport 3 Days After Sighting — Traps Set, But Big Cat Evades Capture!
Three days after a leopard was first sighted at Pune Airport, the animal remains uncaptured despite intensified efforts by forest officials, who have set up camera traps and cages across the area to safely track and trap the big cat seen roaming the airport’s restricted airside zone.
A leopard was sighted twice at Pune airport on Monday, first around 7 AM and then around 8 PM. In the video, the leopard was seen on the airport's airside, a restricted area where critical aircraft operations such as landings, take-offs, and ground movements take place.
In a video posted on X by a flyer on Monday, a plane can be seen nearby. Some people are claiming that forest officials have captured the big cat.
However, the forest department officials confirmed they are still tracking the leopard at the airport.
"We clarify that the leopard was not captured last night. However, the monitoring operation has been further intensified. Camera traps have been installed at nine different locations, and an additional trap cage has been set, bringing the total number of trap cages to three. The leopard was sighted in two camera traps and was observed entering one of the cages, but it did not touch the bait," said Mahadev Mohite, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Pune Division.
"Future plans or any necessary changes will be finalised this afternoon after reviewing the visuals and analyzing the leopard’s behavioral patterns. The Forest Department and RESQ NGO teams continue their joint round-the-clock monitoring and search operations to ensure the timely and safe capture of the animal. The situation remains under close observation, and necessary updates will be provided in the evening," he added.
The leopard sighting came on the same day the Pune Airport Advisory Committee had a meeting to discuss the presence of wild animals in the airport area.
Leopard sightings in Pune are not new. Earlier this year, residents of Nigdi in Pimpri-Chinchwad were left shocked when two leopards were seen roaming through their locality. Forest officials quickly responded, managing to capture one of the animals near Sant Kabir Garden in Sector 24, while the second leopard evaded capture.
Experts say such encounters are becoming more common due to environmental pressures. Urban expansion, shrinking forest cover, and sugarcane harvesting have led to reduced water sources and vegetation in nearby forests. With summer intensifying and natural water bodies drying up, leopards are increasingly straying into human-inhabited areas in search of food and water.
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