Yesterday early morning a person claimed to be attacked by a leopard in Gosavi Vasti, Pune after which the IHS team and Forest Department responded to the incident and confirmed it was a leopard based on victim report and bite injuries.
Last night, DCF Rahul Patil called the RESQ CT Wildlife team at 9:30 pm to capture the leopard, as it was discovered to be hiding 200 meters away from the incident location.
After obtaining valuable information from Hon. Wildlife Warden – Aditya Paranjape, RFO Mukesh Sanas and Pune Forest Department team on ground, we began assessing the location. Tuhin Satarkar, Sumedh Tarde, ACF Mayur Bote, ACF Shendge, RFO Deepak Pawar and Neha Panchamia strategised the capture plan quickly and thereafter, our RESQ CT Wildlife team (10 members) began working while the Pune Police effectively controlled the public outside the rescue perimeter.
We secured every escape route while the darting team, RESQ Wildlife veterinarians – Dr. Chetan Vanjari and Dr Sushruth Shirbhate, took their positions. The leopard was safely darted and then safely transferred into a transport cage by Tuhin Satarkar, Nishanth Ravi, Harshad Nagore, HWW Aditya Paranjape and Pune Forest Department and moved out quickly to RESQ Wildlife TTC, Bavdhan.
Gosavi Vasti is a densely populated area in Hadapsar, Pune. If the leopard had gotten out, it would have been an absolute disaster. The Pune Forest Department and RESQCT have great working coordination and thus the operation went smoothly because we strategised effectively, were fully equipped, took proper measures to secure location and all other stakeholders cooperated – police, public and media.
Currently at the RESQ Wildlife TTC, the leopard is now alert and awake. He is a healthy young male ~ 3-4 years old and has recovered well from tranquillisation.
Sumedh Tarde
RESQ CT (Wildlife)
