Mumbai: Male leopard found dead inside abandoned building in Aarey Milk Colony

The leopard couldn’t be saved despite forest department officials rushing to the spot. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The body of a full-grown male leopard was found on the ground floor of an abandoned building near a forest patch in Aarey Milk Colony on Thursday. Officials from the Thane Forest Department's territorial division told mid-day that they were alerted by some workers staying nearby who spotted the leopard lying unconscious. A team rushed to the spot and found the animal dead. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the cause of death.

[popcorn number="4-6 yrs" desc="Approximate age of leopard" class="Default"]

Saving the big cat

Around 8 am, workers at a construction site spotted the leopard lying near the entrance of the abandoned building. To prevent any human-wildlife conflict, they maintained a safe distance and alerted the RA police station and the forest department. Subsequently, a team of wildlife conservation volunteers - including Imran Udat, Satish Lot, Raj Jadhav, and Prasad Khandagale - who have been actively working towards leopard and wildlife conservation in Aarey Milk Colony, rushed to the spot.

Injury marks on legs

Forest department sources told this newspaper that the leopard had injury marks on its hind legs. Preliminary observations suggest that it may have been involved in a territorial fight with another dominant male leopard in the area. However, the exact cause of death will be established after the post-mortem examination.

About S2025-M38

The dead leopard has been identified as S2025-M38 - a male leopard recorded at Aarey Milk Colony in 2025. It has been photographed several times at multiple locations in Aarey, including National Dairy Development Board and Unit 4 areas. It was last camera trapped in Aarey Milk Colony near Unit 15 on September 11, 2026. The building where it was found, although abandoned, is surrounded by containers and makeshift houses where contract workers stay.

Expert Speak

Imran Udat, wildlife volunteer
‘The abandoned building belonging to the Aarey administration near Unit 16 is adjacent to Aarey Hospital. One of the construction workers told us that they had swept the area outside the building in the morning and didn't spot any animal. However, when they returned between 8.30 am and 9 am, they were shocked to find a large leopard lying near the entrance of a ground-floor flat. They immediately alerted authorities.'

Official Speak

Santosh Dagle, range forest officer, Mumbai Range, Thane Forest Department (Territorial)
‘We were alerted about the leopard by Sandeep Nathuji Sontakke and the Mumbai Police Control Room. A team comprising forest officials, veterinary officer Dr Shailesh Pethe, and local police personnel rushed to the spot. We noticed that the leopard was not moving. A closer inspection revealed that the animal was dead. It was a male leopard, estimated to be between four and six years old. After conducting a spot inspection, the carcass was shifted to Sanjay Gandhi National Park for a post-mortem examination. Further investigation and necessary action are underway under the guidance of Deputy Conservator of Forest Sachin Repal and Assistant Conservator of Forest-Thane Sonal Valvi.'