For now, authorities have temporarily closed off the Bavdhan Van Udyan as a precaution, as the predator was spotted slipping into the tree cover somewhere on Homi Bhabha Road.This clip of the leopard around 12.30am on Dec 1 came as the latest addition to a surge of leopard sighting calls pouring in from across Pune in the last several weeks, following the sighting of a leopard at Pune airport earlier in 2025, and multiple times since. This flurry of rumours intensified after the week-old sighting of a different leopard near Sindh Society in Aundh. Forest officials told TOI they have been receiving alerts not just from Aundh and Lohegaon but also Hinjewadi, Bhugaon, Kolvan and Girivan — a level of activity they “have not seen earlier”. The clip from Bavdhan, which spread rapidly through local WhatsApp groups on Monday, prompted a field verification by the Paud forest range team, along with the resident who shot the video. Bavdhan resident Bhushan Inamdar, who shot the clip, told TOI, “I was going home in a car late at night when I saw the leopard alongside the footpath near D-Palace. I recorded its movements. I guess the animal was searching for something and may have lost its way. After meandering for a bit, the leopard crossed the road and went towards Van Udyan.” Why are they in Pune, and how? Pratap Jagtap, range forest officer, Pune forest department, said, “The spike in leopard sightings in the city could be linked to seasonal displacement. Sugarcane harvesting — now underway around Pune region — often pushes leopards out of dense fields where they hide, especially females with cubs.” Officials also said several natural hill-and-nullah corridors around Pune tend to merge, so sightings reported from different neighbourhoods may or may not involve the same animal. An expert also said that a sharper winter may also be modifying movement patterns. “They were earlier inside cane fields. Harvesting forces them out. Weather shifts can influence behaviour, too,” the expert said. Jagtap added that some leopards could be dispersing from the Junnar–Shirur belt, where leopard numbers have risen in recent years. “Near NDA, the Bavdhan Van Udyan hill patch — which connects towards Vetal Tekdi — forms a known movement pathway. It is possible the leopard came from there, but we are still assessing direction of movement,” he said, adding, “I visited the spot along with other experts and verified the location. The area is right next to a forested patch with active wildlife, which connects further to Vetal Tekdi and ARAI campus. So, we are assuming that the leopard may have come from that side. We are still monitoring the area. Bavdhan Van Udyan has also been closed for the next few days as a precaution, since many children visit the place. This could also be the Aundh leopard because Sindh Society is around 15 minutes away by car or bike, and roughly an hour on foot. But it is still not established that it is the same leopard.” Stay cautious, search underway A forest team conducted a recce on Monday, spoke to residents and identified points where trap cameras will be deployed. Drones will also be used for night patrolling. A public advisory issued by former corporator Dilip Vede-Patil urged residents around NDA–Pashan to stay cautious, avoid stepping out late at night unnecessarily and keep children and pets indoors. Vede-Patil said, “Teams on ground are tracing the pugmarks of the leopard to track its route and presence. “We have appealed to locals to be vigilant, not be scared, not spread rumours, and get in touch with authorities if they have any further details.” What Bavdhan residents say I stay in a room with my family at the foothills in Bavdhan. In the wee hours of Monday, between 2.30am and 4am, all the stray dogs in our area would not stop barking. I already suspected it may be a leopard. I did not dare leave our room. Three days ago, a food stall owner nearby had said he spotted a leopard at the Van Udyan. Since the animal was seen in Aundh, we are taking extra precautions. I lock the door in a way that the children cannot open it at night. If we step out, we carry pots to clang loudly, to scare away animals. If we have to go out post-sunset, we wear a thick towel on our necks. Also, we keep our pet cats indoors at all times now– Savita Shinde, caretaker, Bavdhan Van Udyan Since the Aundh sighting, I do not let my two pet dogs roam freely around our bungalow. Earlier, they could be let off the leash in certain environs, but we do not allow that right now when we go for a walk. Some bungalows in our colony are vacant. So, after the Monday sighting was reported, I got their premises checked as a precaution – Tejas Baijal, ENT surgeon and resident of Aamchi Colony, next to Bavdhan Van Udyan During daytime, children who come to our daycare centre all play around the campus. After this leopard sighting, we have heightened vigilance and instructed our staff to be on high alert at all times – Owner of a daycare centre in Bavdhan
