Leopard rescued after six-hour operation in Nashik’s Satpur

Nashik: Residents of Dhruv Nagar in Satpur, Nashik, woke up to a tense Saturday morning when a young female leopard was spotted roaming the neighbourhood at 8 am."The sighting at 8 am triggered an immediate response from the police and forest department, sparking a high-stakes, six-hour rescue operation under the scorching sun that ended at 2pm with the one-and-a-half-year-old animal being rescued unharmed and moved to the Wildlife Treatment Centre," range forest officer Sumit Nirmal said.Officials cordoned off the area and instructed residents to lock themselves indoors to ensure public safety. People were also advised to clear out of parking lots and stairwells, while terrace doors were bolted to prevent the animal from cornering anyone in a confined space.The female leopard initially sought refuge in a patch of dense shrubs in an open plot. To flush it out, the forest department deployed earthmovers to clear the thicket. While the strategy worked, the agile cat quickly ducked away, moving towards a nearby residential building.It eventually found a shaded "utility spot"—a small ledge above a window protected by an iron shed—where it remained seated to escape the midday heat.Nirmal and his team meticulously closed the distance. Once within striking range, they successfully administered a tranquiliser dart. The sedated animal was carefully moved into a van and transported to the Mhasrul Wildlife Treatment Center (WTC).The officer noted, "The rescue was a total success, with no injuries to the public or the animal. The leopard likely strayed from the Gangapur or Devrai forest areas and became disoriented at dawn. During her medical examination, vets discovered she is suffering from a skin infection. She is currently receiving care and will be released back into the wild once she has fully recovered."