A leopard sighting in early December had residents of Pune, India, on edge.
What's happening?
According to the Times of India, CCTV footage showed the leopard in a residential area. It climbed over gates and strolled by different housing complexes before disappearing into the night.
Mahendra Ranpise, chairman of Mukta Residency, told TOI, "A few days ago, a leopard was spotted on the other side of the lake. … On Friday morning, one was seen in both our society and the one opposite. … Beyond that, nobody knows where the leopard went."
The TOI reported that the region has experienced multiple leopard sightings, likely due to its proximity to forested areas.
After the sighting, officials warned locals to remain indoors during periods of high leopard activity. Residents were given a 9 p.m. curfew and asked to avoid walking early in the morning.
Why is this leopard sighting concerning?
As former animal habitats are developed into human settlements, the likelihood of dangerous interactions with wildlife increases.
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According to a study published in the journal Science Advances, the overlap between humans and wildlife is expected to increase by about 56% by 2070.
Without proper planning, this puts humans at risk. For example, a leopard attacked a young boy on a safari trip at an Indian wildlife park, while elsewhere in the country, in Jaipur, leopards have even entered homes.
While nobody was hurt from this particular leopard sighting, the risk remains — and wildlife are in danger of harm, too. If an animal should attack, whether provoked or not, it will likely be found and euthanized to prevent further harm.
Meanwhile, the Science Advances study found that areas projected to have more human-wildlife overlap, like grasslands, will have more species decline.
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Definitely 👍 What's being done about the leopard?
Forest department officials set up camera traps around the lake where the leopard was spotted.
According to similar reports, officials usually aim to either guide the leopard back to its regular habitat or capture and release it back into the wild.
At the time of writing, the leopard remained elusive.
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