Mumbai: 3 lost leopard cubs rescued in Aarey colony

Three leopard cubs were discovered at Aarey Milk Colony on Tuesday morning in the well of a non-functional biogas plant. The Maharashtra Forest Department has initiated the reunion process for the young felines.

On Tuesday, one of the cattle farm owners, Siraj Salema, received information from a worker at the tabela that there were three cubs in an abandoned well. Speaking to mid-day, cattle farm owner Siraj Salema said, "At around 8.30 am, one of the workers in a cattle farm was going towards the forested patch behind his tabela when he spotted three leopard cubs in the abandoned biogas well. He informed me about the same, following which I informed the volunteers of the forest dept conducting camera trapping in Aarey Colony."

Cattle farm worker finds the cubs inside an abandoned biogas well

Aarey camera trapping team members Imran Udat, Wasim Athaniya, Satish Lot, Kaushal Dubey, and Raj Jadhav, along with Aditya Shinde of NGO WWA, also reached the spot. Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SNGP) officials, Thane Forest Department territorial officials, and the Leopard Rescue Team also reached the spot.

Wasim Athaniya from Aarey camera trapping team said, "As the news about the cubs had spread in the area, more than 50 people had gathered to see the cubs. However, local police officials and forest department staff made sure that crowd management was done in a proper way so that the cubs don't get disturbed."

Assistant Conservator of Forest Sudhir Sonawale, Assistant Conservator of Forest Sonal Valvi, Range Forest Officer Narendra Muthe, RFO Nikit Shinde, SGNP Veterinary Officer Vinaya Jangle were also present at the spot. The 300-metre area in the radius of the abandoned well where the leopard cubs were, was cordoned off.

SGNP Director G Mallikarjun said, "Our team reached the spot as soon as we received information about cubs from locals. We have begun the process of reunion, and along with the help of volunteers, we have installed live CCTV cameras and around five camera traps, which our team is monitoring from a safe distance. We are hopeful that the mother will come and take away the cubs in the night."

300m
Area cordoned off around the cubs

50
No of approx. people gathered to see the cubs