Residents Alert Authorities as Leopard Activity Increases in Pimpri-Chinchwad Area
Concerns have been raised in the Dighi area of Pimpri-Chinchwad after a leopard was sighted near the Gayatri Temple in Wadmukhwadi on April 6. Prompted by the sighting, both the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and the forest department swiftly responded, deploying camera traps to monitor leopard activity in the vicinity.
Ashutosh Shendage, assistant conservator of forests from the Pune Forest Division, stated, “Our team, accompanied by locals, visited the site and installed two camera traps for leopard monitoring. Our primary objective is to closely observe leopard movements in the area.”
Wadmukhwadi, known for its lush greenery and agricultural fields, provides an ideal habitat for leopards to traverse safely. The vicinity of the sighting, adjacent to the Dighi defense area, is a secluded farmland area, often frequented by leopards. Instances of leopard encounters, including attacks on stray dogs and a cat, have been reported in the neighborhood, underscoring the need for heightened vigilance.
Despite the growing presence of leopards, there is no widespread panic among villagers. Shendage assured, “Our team maintains regular communication with the locals, conducting patrols and raising awareness in the area.”
Leopard sightings have become increasingly common in the Pimpri-Chinchwad region. In December 2023, a young male leopard ventured into Chikhali, within PCMC’s jurisdiction, prompting a collaborative rescue operation involving the Pune Forest Department, RESQ CT Wildlife Rescue Unit, PCMC Fire Department, and PCMC Police Department. These repeated sightings not only raise security concerns but also highlight the ongoing human-leopard conflict in the area.
