Leopard tranquilised, rescued from tunnel on Pune airport premises: Officials
The multi-agency effort was led by the forest department, in collaboration with RESQ Charitable Trust, the Indian Air Force and Pune Airport authorities
A male adult leopard, frequently sighted in the Pune Airport area since April 2025, was successfully tranquilised and captured safely on Friday, forest officials said.
The multi-agency effort was led by the forest department, in collaboration with RESQ Charitable Trust, the Indian Air Force and Pune Airport authorities.
The leopard was first confirmed on airport premises on April 28, 2025.
Over the ensuing months, it evaded the authorities, navigating an extensive network of underground tunnels, dense vegetation, and low-traffic zones, frequently entering and exiting the restricted area.
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The presence of Indian Air Force facilities and the vast, secure terrain complicated capture attempts.
Teams deployed camera traps, live-feed cameras, and multiple cages for monitoring, but the elusive animal avoided traps despite ongoing surveillance.
Mahadev Mohite, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Pune Division, said, “This operation highlights exemplary inter-agency coordination and preparedness. The Forest Department, RESQ Charitable Trust, Indian Air Force, and airport authorities collaborated seamlessly over months. Pune has shown its capability to handle complex wildlife incidents in sensitive urban and infrastructure environments.”
Earlier on December 4, footage confirmed the leopard had again entered the underground tunnel system. In response, exits were sealed and reinforced, additional live surveillance cameras installed, and camera traps repositioned to track its movements in the confined space.
Drawing on this intelligence, a 30-member team planned and executed the operation on December 11–12. They guided the leopard into an approximately 80-foot tunnel section for a controlled chemical immobilisation.
Despite challenging underground conditions, wildlife veterinarian Dr Gourav Mangla successfully tranquilised the leopard. It was then safely extracted and transferred to the RESQ Charitable Trust’s Transit Treatment Centre in Bavdhan for veterinary observation and recovery.
No human injuries were reported, and airport operations remained unaffected.
The forest department will decide on the leopard’s long-term management per established wildlife protocols.
A male leopard frequently spotted near Pune Airport since April 2025 was successfully tranquilized and captured on December 12, 2025, through a collaborative effort involving the forest department, RESQ Charitable Trust, Indian Air Force, and airport authorities. The operation highlights effective inter-agency coordination, ensuring no human injuries occurred and airport operations remained unaffected.