A leopard has been seen twice at Pune Airport in Maharashtra within just one week, with the latest sighting on Monday evening at 6:30 PM. Airport cameras caught the big cat walking near the boundary wall, which made both wildlife officers and security guards rush to the spot.
The leopard seems to have made the airport its temporary home because it finds lots of small animals to eat and water to drink there. Wildlife experts say that the big open spaces at the airport, where not many people go, have become a good place for the leopard to live, even though the airport is meant for planes and passengers.
Special cameras set up to watch animals have shown that the leopard is using tunnels inside the airport to move around. The forest officers are trying to catch the leopard near these tunnels, but they haven’t been able to do so yet.
Having such a dangerous animal at a busy airport is causing problems for both the airport staff and wildlife teams. Even though forest officers are using smart ways to track the leopard, it’s very good at hiding and knows the airport area very well, making it hard to catch.
The search teams are working hard to catch the leopard safely and move it to the forest, while also making sure the airport stays safe. They’ve put up more cameras and guards, especially early in the morning and in the evening when leopards usually come out. But the clever animal keeps avoiding all the traps and people trying to catch it.
This problem shows how wild animals are learning to live in places built by humans. As cities grow bigger, animals like leopards sometimes end up in unusual places like airports. The forest department is keeping a close watch and trying new ways to solve this problem without hurting the leopard or causing any trouble at the airport.
The incident has drawn attention to Pune’s evolving transportation landscape as urban development continues to intersect with wildlife habitats.
