An injured adult male leopard was rescued from Mama Bhanja Hills in Thane within the Yeoor Range of SGNP (Sanjay Gandhi National Park) on Sunday following a 21-hour operation, a forest official said.
Authorities were alerted on Saturday about a leopard that was unable to walk properly, and later found sitting in a tree by residents of Indira Nagar and MSSC (Maharashtra State Security Corporation) personnel patrolling the area.
An SGNP rescue team and the forest department's Thane Territorial Wing, assisted by volunteers from Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare and Wildlife Welfare Association, reached the spot, said Pawan Sharma of RAWW.
By the time the teams began the operation, the leopard had moved into the bushes and disappeared. They later located the big cat hiding in an inaccessible area.
The operation was suspended around midnight on Saturday, but teams continued to monitor the animal. The leopard was rescued on Sunday afternoon after nearly 21 hours and was shifted to the SGNP Leopard Rescue Centre, he said.
The animal has severe injuries on its paws and a major wound on its right limb for which it is being treated, said an SGNP official.