Pune: The Junnar Forest Division is facing a significant challenge with nearly 500 leopards roaming across the four talukas of Ambegaon, Junnar, Shirur, and Khed.

Deputy Conservator of Forests Amol Satpute revealed that the frequent daytime sightings of leopards have become a serious concern for local farmers, who are now questioning whether it is safe to work in their fields.

The Otur forest area in Junnar taluka and the Manchar forest area in Ambegaon taluka are particularly affected, with a high concentration of leopards.

The presence of these predators has also raised concerns about the safety of children playing outside. The government has been urged to address the issue swiftly, as captured leopards are often released back into the wild, only to return to human settlements. To break this cycle, there is a pressing need to expand the capacity of leopard shelters.

Leopards captured in the Junnar Forest Division are currently sent to the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Center, but the facility is already at full capacity, housing only those leopards that have attacked humans.

With space running out, the Forest Department has proposed increasing the shelter's capacity to 150 leopards. However, given the current leopard population of 500, this number could easily double, necessitating the establishment of additional shelters.

The Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Center's inability to accommodate more leopards has led to a situation where captured leopards are released back into the wild, only to return when faced with shortages of water and prey.

his cycle needs to be broken, and forest officials have called for urgent action to increase the capacity of leopard shelters. Additionally, a proposal for sterilizing female leopards to control the population has been submitted to the state government.