Manikdoh Leopard rescue centre to get facelift

The leopard holding facility in Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre (MLRC) in Junnar will get a facelift in next few months.

According to wildlife veterinary officer Dr Ajay Deshmukh, the leopards will now have larger and upgraded enclosures. “Out of the 26 leopards housed at the centre, only a few leopards had access to an external space to exercise. So, Wildlife SOS, an NGO along with the state government implemented an expansion project to improve MLRC facilities,” said Deshmukh.

This project includes 10 new enclosures, which are spread over 250 sq m. The project's cost is around Rs1.5 crore and is expected to finish in the next two months. "This will be biggest enclosures for leopards in India. Instead of languishing in the tiny spaces they’d been housed in for years, the leopards will be shifted to these cave-like enclosures,” he said. “The top priority for the build-out is to create spacious, well-designed indoor and outdoor enclosures, with individual dens for each leopard, high enough for them to indulge in their love of climbing, and plenty of ‘habitat enrichment’ items to keep their minds challenged and engaged," added Deshmukh.

According to Wildlife SOS, their goal is not to house wild animals indefinitely, but whenever possible to heal them and set them free as soon as they become fit. Over the year, MLRC has released 16 leopards (nine females and seven males) in the wild.

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