Leopard lockdown! When you suddenly encounter a wild cat in your city

Residents of a densely populated colony near Surajkund road in Faridabad experienced panic on February 14 when an adult leopard was sighted in the vicinity. The sighting prompted residents to seek shelter indoors, while authorities from the wildlife department were notified to address the situation.

A leopard was observed casually walking near the perimeter of a housing complex along the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road in Mumbai, causing alarm among residents and local inhabitants. The incident, reported by a forest official on February 11, was captured on CCTV cameras installed within the residential society, leading to widespread dissemination of the footage on social media platforms. In response, forest staff initiated rigorous monitoring measures, including daily night patrols in the vicinity, to ensure public safety.

A tragic incident occurred in southwest Bengaluru near the Turahalli Forest Reserve when a young female leopard was struck by a vehicle while crossing the road at Chikkegowdanadoddipalya on April 3. The collision prompted a traffic standstill as the injured animal sought refuge under a BMTC bus, underscoring the need for heightened awareness and caution in wildlife-rich areas.

Concerns arose among residents of the Kalhaar Blues and Greens residential cluster in Sanand, located on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, upon the circulation of a video depicting a leopard in the vicinity. The presence of the leopard has unsettled locals, prompting heightened vigilance from both residents and forest department personnel.

A wildlife department official bravely confronted a leopard who was wandering in a village in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district on Wednesday. Using only a stick, the official fought the leopard, which jumped on him, and then wrestled it into submission with his bare hands.

The rescue van (RV), which reached Kadma in Jamshedpur on March 30 from the Betla National Park under the Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR), was “yet to sight the leopard”, said a forest official on Monday.

Despite this, a recent advisory issued in specific areas of Rajasthan, urging to stay indoors has created a stir on social media. In Mangrol town, Dholpur, residents have been asked to remain indoors because of a leopard sighting.