Maharashtra to shift 50 leopards to Vantara wildlife centre in Gujarat

Maharashtra government to shift 50 leopards to Vantara. File pic

The Maharashtra government has decided to send 50 leopards to the Reliance Foundation's Vantara wildlife rescue and conservation centre located in Jamnagar, Gujarat, sources close to state forest minister Ganesh Naik confirmed.

As per news agency PTI, the forest department made the decision of shifting the leopards to Vantara with an aim to strengthen conservation efforts for the big cats.

The move also comes after recent concerns related to increasing human-leopard interactions in parts of Maharashtra, the sources said on Friday.

According to sources, the arrangement was finalised after discussions between Ganesh Naik and the Vantara management. However, further details about the timeline and modalities of transferring the leopards are expected to be finalised by the forest department in coordination with the facility's management, they added. Parts of Maharashtra witnessed a series of leopard attacks in November and December 2025.

Leopard captured from a Bhayandar society was found dead weeks later

This move by the Forest Minister comes after a leopard that was earlier captured from a residential Bhayandar society in Mumbai, fitted with a radio collar and later released into the wild, was found dead earlier on Thursday, February 5.

The leopard had entered Parijat Society, a residential building in Bhayandar East of Thane district in Maharashtra, and was released back into the wild on December 25, 2025.

The Maharashtra Forest Department had, on December 19, 2025, safely rescued the leopard after it entered into a housing society and attacked multiple people.

The animal was captured by rescue teams from Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and the Thane Forest Division.

According to sources, the carcass of the animal was discovered at Nagla inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). Forest officials were alerted and immediately reached the spot.

A postmortem examination has been carried out on the leopard, and the final cause of death is yet to be confirmed. Forest department officials said further details will be known once the postmortem report is received.

Health check at SGNP

After its rescue, the leopard was taken to Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali, for a medical examination. Veterinary officers confirmed that the animal was healthy and had not suffered any injuries during the rescue operation.

Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik had also visited the site on December 20, 2025, to review the situation. He had also met injured residents at a hospital to enquire about their condition.

Following his directions, forest officials decided to monitor the leopard closely before releasing it back into the wild.

(With inputs from PTI)