The conflict between humans and the wild is just growing. The Mercedes-Benz India’s production facility in Chakan, Pune, got an unexpected visitor on 21st March, a 3-year-old male leopard, prowling amidst the manufacturing facility.
The 100-acre plant was shut down temporarily, and a rescue operation that went for more than half of the workday resulted in successfully removing the distressed wild from the Mercedes-Benz plant. The rescue operations were conducted by Wildlife SOS from Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre and the Chakan Forest Department.
The rescued leopard is now under medical observation with the Forest Department before it will be soon released back into the wild. The Mercedes Benz production plant at Chakan is spread over 100 acres, and on Monday morning the staff spotted the young wild straying on the manufacturing unit. Soon the security staff informed the Chakan Forest Department, and the Wildlife SOS team from Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre led by Veterinary Officers, Dr Nikhil Bangar and Dr Shubham Patir reached the facility and carried out the rescue operations.
The rescue team secured the area after spotting the leopard, and later Dr Nikhil Bangar tranquillized the leopard. The entire rescue operations were carried out following the safety protocols, and the leopard was later transported to the Chakan Forest Department facility into a cage for further medical care of the distressed leopard.
The incidents of wildlife straying into human-dominated areas are not uncommon in Maharashtra. Due to the loss of natural habitat, many times the wild lives are found straying into human-dominated areas, and the conflict often results in losing lives on either side.
