Pune: In a rare sight, a leopard was spotted lounging near the runway at Pune Airport on Monday night. A video of the big cat, shared widely on social media, shows it sitting and grooming itself, calmly before walking into a nearby cave-like structure. The sighting has raised concerns among Punekars, who have witnessed a rise in such incidents.
A video of the big cat, shared by X user @Pixel_Stripes, showed the leopard unfazed by onlookers recording it before it casually walked away into a cave-like structure. The unusual sighting amused many netizens, with some joking about the leopard’s unexpected appearance.
As of now there are no reports, whether this big cat is rescued by forest officials from the location and taken back into the wild.
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One user quipped, "What? I just confirmed my flight to Pune. Well, whatever I couldn’t find in Pench, found it at Pune Airport!"
Another commented, "Just came in to check the aircraft speed before take-off."
A third added, "Mighty wants to travel too... exhausting summer, don’t wanna walk."
Leopard Encounters in Pune
This isn’t the first such incident in the city. Earlier this year, residents of Pimpri-Chinchwad’s Nigdi area were alarmed after two leopards were spotted roaming freely in their neighborhood. The forest department swiftly set up traps and captured one leopard near Sant Kabir Garden in Sector 24, while the other managed to escape.
According to media reports, leopard sightings have increased around Pune due to habitat loss, dwindling forest water sources, and reduced vegetation caused by sugarcane harvesting. As summer approaches and water sources in forests dwindle, leopards may venture closer to human settlements in search of food and water.
