In a thrilling turn of events, the eight-year-old male leopard named “Sachin,” which managed to escape from its enclosure at the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park in Katraj, has been successfully captured after an intense 40-hour search operation. The elusive big cat was finally trapped at around 9:15 pm on Tuesday, entering a cage baited with food.
The Capture and Hunger-Driven Strategy According to zoo officials, “Sachin” was captured near the Sambar enclosure. The leopard, hungry after not eating for 48 hours, entered the strategically placed cage with food, leading to its successful capture. Vikas Dhakane, additional municipal commissioner, stated that the feline was desperately searching for food during the evening, contributing to the success of the trap.
Continuous Search Operation and Territorial Focus The search and rescue operation, spanning 40 hours, involved multiple teams, drones, and various techniques. The focus was on a small territory of 130 acres within the Katraj Zoo. Despite earlier sightings on CCTV near the zoo kitchen and the peacock bunker, the big cat’s whereabouts remained unknown, raising concerns. The zoo administration decided to keep the facility closed on Tuesday as the search continued.
Dense Vegetation and Trap Placement Due to the dense vegetation within the zoo, spotting the leopard initially proved challenging. Nine cages with prey were strategically placed to lure the animal, given that it was not accustomed to hunting prey on its own. The feline, brought to Pune from Karnataka three months ago, managed to escape from its enclosure between 3 am and 5 am on Monday.
Expert Involvement and Technological Aid Multiple agencies, including zoo officials, fire brigade, forest department, and RESQ, were involved in the rescue operation. Twenty additional camera traps were set up, and thermal imaging drones were deployed during the night. The rescue team closely monitored the leopard through a RESQ thermal drone until it was successfully trapped.
Post-Capture Plans and Quarantine After the successful capture, the leopard, currently humanized due to captivity, will be under quarantine. Rajkumar Jadhav, director of Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, revealed that the animal will not require immediate medication and, after a few days, will be shifted to another zoo in Odisha.
InShorts: The captivating escape and subsequent capture of leopard “Sachin” at Katraj Zoo mark the end of a 40-hour search operation. The hungry feline’s strategy of entering a strategically placed cage has brought relief to zoo authorities and locals alike.
