Pune, 24 November 2025: A leopard was spotted several times near the runway and taxiway areas of Pune Airport, triggering an alert among airport and forest authorities.
The sightings were reported in the early morning and late evening hours, particularly around Bay No. 9 and the Taxi Link K4 section, which lies inside the airside zone of the airport that functions as a civil enclave of the Indian Air Force’s Lohegaon Air Base.
According to the Forest Department, the leopard has been moving in the Lohegaon village region for the past 15 to 20 days. To monitor its movement and ensure the safety of airport staff and operations, officials have placed multiple camera traps and also installed a trap cage. The number of camera traps near the runway has recently been increased from three to ten.
A meeting between Pune Airport authorities and the Forest Department is scheduled for Monday to review the situation and plan further action. Forest officials said additional measures will be taken if needed, and they are already coordinating with Air Force officers to fix gaps in the damaged perimeter wall near the runway.
Airport authorities have issued safety instructions to ground staff, especially those working on the taxiway during night shifts. Workers have been told not to move alone at night or bend down while working in low-visibility areas. CISF personnel have been asked to assist staff when necessary.
Forest officials said that expanding camera coverage will help track the animal more effectively and support efforts to capture it safely.