Ahmednagar: Leopard breaks into school canteen, rescued after four-hour-long operation

Source: The Indian Express

An adult male leopard recently broke into the cafeteria of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, located in Takali Dhokeshwar village in Ahmednagar region. The big cat was successfully rescued in a four-hour-long operation by Wildlife SOS and the Maharashtra Forest department and it is currently under medical care and observation at the Leopard Rescue Centre in Junnar.
While all schools across the state remain shut due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the upkeep staff at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya were busy with a clean-up of the buildings on Wednesday. Shocked to discover the leopard sitting in the school canteen, the staff immediately shut the canteen doors and windows from outside. The incident was stated to the Forest department and Junnar-based conservation charity -Wildlife SOS. Equipping themselves with safety nets, a trap cage and protective gear to carry out the rescue mission, a five-member team from Wildlife SOS rushed to assist a team of forest officers in the rescue operation.

On arriving at the school, the team first ensured that all entry and exit points were secured, following which they carefully set the rescue plan in motion. In the meantime, the panic-stricken leopard kept scrambling from one corner of the room to the other in an effort to escape.

The rescuer team cut a hole in the entry door of the canteen so they could insert a camera and torchlight to get a clear visual on the exact location of the leopard. 
 

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