Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A young sub-adult male leopard, estimated to be between 2 and 2.5 years old, was rescued by forest department personnel from the Choral forest range under the Indore division following reports of its lethargic and unresponsive behaviour.
According to sub-divisional officer (SDO) Subhash Sharma, who oversees Ralamandal and led the rescue operations, villagers first raised the alarm after attempting to drive the big cat away from peripheral fields. Despite aggressive efforts by locals to shoo the animal, it remained unnaturally motionless, refusing to budge.
"Villagers reported that they weren't able to shoo him off, and he would not move - staying still no matter what people did," said Sharma, detailing the initial alerts received from the ground.
Suspecting severe illness, physical trauma, or internal organ compromise, a specialised team dispatched by the forest department moved into the Choral area and successfully secured the big cat.
However, forest officials observed alarming clinical signs immediately following the rescue. Sharma stated that the young leopard "seems to get unconscious after a few minutes again and again," indicating recurring episodes of syncope or neurological dysfunction.
A comprehensive veterinary check-up was initiated immediately after the rescue. Sharma confirmed that the animal will be kept under strict, round-the-clock medical observation throughout the night to monitor its vital parameters and stabilise its condition before deciding on further diagnostic tests or rehabilitation protocols.
Pattern of big cat movements across Indore division
The rescue in the Choral range is the latest in a series of big cat encounters across the forest fringes surrounding Indore:
The Umariya Khurd search: Just days prior, panic gripped Umariya Khurd village near Crescent Water Park along the Indore Bypass after an injured, limping leopard bearing facial and head wounds was spotted resting near a residential veranda.
The Crescent Water Park trap: Forest search teams deployed multiple bait cages across the Umariya Khurd belt. A healthy adult male leopard was trapped inside a cage set up near Crescent Water Park and shifted for assessment, while field teams maintained traps and search grids to track the remaining injured cat.
Urban fringe encounters: Earlier this year, forest teams handled similar emergency rescues across the division, including the capture of a leopard in Sanawadiya village near Devguradia and another operation near the Asrawad grid premises.
Wildlife officials attribute the spike in fringe encounters to seasonal movements, shrinking buffer corridors near Ralamandal Wildlife Sanctuary, and water availability along irrigation channels. The Choral range leopard remains under active veterinary care as medical officers evaluate the cause behind its repeated loss of consciousness.
