New Delhi: A leopard that entered the Mercedes-Benz manufacturing facility in Pune’s Chakan area was safely rescued on Monday after an intensive two-day operation carried out by forest officials, wildlife rescuers and police personnel.
The animal was first spotted on CCTV footage on Saturday morning. He was seen entering the company premises, reportedly while searching for prey. It later got trapped inside a large section of the manufacturing unit, triggering concern among workers and management at the plant.
As a safety measure, Mercedes-Benz suspended production activities for two days while rescue teams worked to locate and safely capture the leopard inside the massive industrial complex.
Rescue teams track leopard inside plant
The operation was conducted under the supervision of the Forest Department with support from teams of RESQ Charitable Trust and Wildlife SOS. The officials said tracking the leopard inside the huge factory area was difficult and required continuous monitoring over nearly 48 hours, as reported by NDTV.
The leopard was eventually lured into a cage on Monday while moving around the unit in search of food. Forest officials confirmed that the animal is a healthy male leopard estimated to be between three-and-a-half and four years old.
After the rescue, the leopard was shifted to the Manikdoh Rescue Centre for further observation and care.
Concerns over wildlife movement
The employees at the plant and residents in nearby areas expressed relief after the operation ended without any injuries or damage.
The incident has once again highlighted concerns over increasing wildlife movement in the rapidly expanding Chakan industrial belt. In recent weeks, leopard sightings have been reported in and around industrial units in the area, raising questions about shrinking natural habitats and growing human-animal encounters near Pune.