Leopard seen again inside Pune airport boundary, workers told to move in groups

Pune: The search for the leopard spotted inside the perimeter of Pune airport (part of an IAF base) entered its eighth day on Tuesday, with no luck.On Monday, around 6.30pm, the big cat was seen inside the airport's boundary by people and later, in the night, it was caught on trap cameras near the entrance to a tunnel, which forest officials said it has been using to move around. The officials have now placed 13 camera traps, four trap cages and four live monitoring cameras at the spot where the leopard was last seen.Sniffer dogs too have caught the animal's scent near multiple water sources within the boundary, the officials said."Since it's an adult leopard, it's quite aware of our whereabouts and knows how to evade humans, which is why it is proving to be difficult to catch," said Mangesh Tate, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Pune. "We can only wait till he takes the bait placed in the trap cages," he added.Tate said airport staff have now been told to move in groups and use lights after dark. "He was seen a little distance away from the runway, but we can't be sure if he will resurface there, given the noise and lights," the forest official said.Wildlife experts TOI spoke to on Tuesday said it's likely the leopard has found "suitable refuge" within the airport boundary, feeding on stray dogs and small-sized mammals and using the tunnel network for shade and rest. They added that while it may not perceive a threat, the situation was definitely worrisome for humans.The experts also said the big cat may be relying on small water bodies in the area to quench thirst. "Its driving force could be the presence of stray dogs in the area. It is a reinforcement for the leopard to not relocate. It can go more than eight days without food after it has fed on large prey," said one expert who didn't want to be named."Carnivores primarily need water. Since it now has all the necessary resources, and is adapting to sound and light, the leopard may be feeling comfortable," the expert said, adding that the presence of such a predator did place humans at risk.