Forest dept launch search operation for leopard spotted in Bavdhan

In the early hours of Monday, the forest department received a video from residents of Bavdhan area about a leopard being spotted on the Pashan NDA Road. Those who sent the video had shot it around 12.30am on Monday. A forest department officer said, “Presence of the leopard captured in the photo has been confirmed. Teams of the forest department and wildlife rescue experts have undertaken site verification. The sighting was around 12.30 am on December 1 and it was not spotted thereafter. Likely movement corridor of the leopard can be around the Ramnadi rivulet. Locals have been sensitised. We have installed camera traps and a search has been launched.”

Dilip Vedepatil, former corporator and a resident of Bavdhan who shared the video with the forest department, said, “The video was captured by my son’s friend who was passing from the area at the time. The leopard was spotted on the road opposite D Palace Chowk near Lantana Garden residential society. The location where the leopard was spotted is right in the midst of residential areas and commercial complexes in Bavdhan. The footpath where the leopard was spotted and which was captured on the video is popular for morning and evening walks. This is really a great concern. We are working with the forest Department teams and experts from ResQ Charitable Trust.”

“The leopard has been spotted at locations few kilometres away from here but never in this area. We have urged the forest department to install more cameras so that that movement can be tracked and necessary efforts to capture the leopard can be initiated. After the first sighting around 12.30am, there was no further sighting till Monday night.Forest officials suspect the leopard may have gone to an area with tree cover nearby. We have urged residents to be alert and trust only authentic sources of information,” added Vedepatil.

Ashish Karade, a resident of Bavdhan, said, “It is unsettling to know a leopard was spotted on the same road many use for morning and evening walks and even during the day. The residents here are worried, especially parents and senior citizens. We just hope the animal is tracked quickly before anything untoward happens.”