‘I’ve seen it four times’: Delhi village on the edge after leopard sighting, inspection teams deployed

This is not the first time a leopard has been spotted in the village. An adult leopard entered a house in the village last April and injured at least three people.

In 2016, an adult leopard strayed into the village. At the time, after several people reported sightings, forest department officials captured the wild cat and transferred it to the Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand.

Ali and others also pointed to the recovery of remains of wild animals in the vicinity — peacock carcasses, nilgai bones, and wild boar remains. “As recently as a month ago, I saw these. I suspect it is the leopard’s doing,” he said.

He added that warning boards — with messages reading “Savdhan (Beware): There could be a leopard” — were installed in January. “In 2023, a leopard also injured around 14 people. But till now, no camera traps have been set up here, or any action taken to spread awareness among villagers to deal with such a situation…”

Forest officials confirmed that the recent photograph was taken at Jagatpur near Yamuna Biodiversity Park Phase II, and that the animal is likely moving between the floodplains and nearby open patches east of Bund Road. “The leopard could be using the Aravallis and Yamuna floodplains as a movement corridor. Sightings in such urban edges are not uncommon,” a senior official said.

It was local wildlife enthusiast Hemant Garg who captured the leopard on camera on Sunday, using a trap device. But forest officials clarified that private monitoring of wildlife is not permitted. “We discourage unauthorised tracking and advise people to share information directly with the department,” an official said.

But camera traps have not been set up in Jagatpur, even as these have been deployed in other parts of Delhi, particularly at Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, said the official quoted above. “Unless there is a formal complaint with supporting evidence, traps are not routinely placed. But we are now looking into this stretch,” the official added.

Expert speak

According to experts, the leopard’s presence isn’t surprising given Delhi’s changing ecological landscape. Sohail Madan of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) said, “Leopards have a long history of coexisting with human settlements in India. But in areas like Asola and around the Yamuna floodplain, the number of sightings has gone up. That doesn’t necessarily mean the population has increased — we lack baseline data — but movement patterns do suggest regenerating habitats are attracting wildlife.”

Madan stressed the need to involve communities in conservation planning: “Rewilding and restoration cannot happen in isolation. People living near such areas must be made aware of precautions and educated about coexisting with wildlife. First, to ensure their own safety and that of their livestock. Second, to protect the animal.”

Dr Faiyaz A Khudsar, who heads the Yamuna Biodiversity Project for the Delhi Development Authority, noted that the river has historically served as a natural corridor for animals. “Leopards can move along this stretch due to prey availability and habitat continuity,” he said.

In response to increasing sightings, the Delhi government has also ramped up efforts in Asola Bhatti. Environment Minister Majinder Singh Sirsa recently described leopard sightings as a “sign of a healthy ecosystem” and said water holes had been created to support wildlife through the summer. More motion-triggered camera traps have also been deployed there.

But residents of Jagatpur said more needs to be done. “We just want the forest department to track the leopard properly, rescue it, and keep us safe,” said Ali.

Officials maintained that steps are being taken. “We will begin sensitisation in the coming days,” a senior official said, adding, “Leopards usually avoid humans, but they can attack stray dogs and, in rare cases, small children. Our focus will be to alert the villagers and sensitise them to from stepping out during the dark. With better awareness and monitoring, conflicts can be prevented.”