The forest department has increased patrolling in the area

In the last 7 to 10 days, there have been several instances of continuous leopard sightings in the Uttan area. Biologist, Nikit Surve, from Wildlife Conservation Society–India, along with his team of volunteers, has installed camera traps, and the forest department has also increased patrolling in the area. From last week, some videos of a leopard, claiming to be from the Uttan area, had gone viral on several WhatsApp groups.

Poll

Will you take intranasal vaccine as a precautionary dose?

Yes 33.33%

No 33.33%

Maybe 33.33%

Submit

View All In Poll

Sources from the forest department told mid-day that one of the CCTV footages that have gone viral is from the area, and they are verifying the authenticity of the other videos. In March 2023, mid-day carried a story in which it was stated how a free-ranging leopardess, not causing any trouble, was illegally trapped in a cage by locals at Uttan near Gorai. The forest department had even detained one person in connection with the case.

In March 2022, mid-day reported on how residents of the Gorai-Manori belt spotted pugmarks, hinting at the presence of leopards in the area. Locals and the forest department had claimed that leopard sightings in the area were unheard of. It was also stated in the story that locals had been spotting huge pugmarks in the forested patch in the area for two weeks. The distance via road between the SGNP main gate to Gorai is 25 km. In February 2022, a leopard was rescued from a drain in the Bhayandar slum near Jai Ambe Nagar.

25km
Distance between SGNP and Gorai