The Delhi Forest and Wildlife Department on Thursday reported a fresh sighting of a leopard at Asola Bhati Wildlife Sanctuary, the city’s lone wildlife sanctuary near Tughlakabad. The leopard, officials said, was spotted drinking water from a water hole in the afternoon. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa took to X, saying, “A leopard in Delhi? Yes… and it’s not lost, it’s home. From wild cats to spotted deer, Delhi’s natural world is alive and protected.” Story continues below this ad He added, “Under PM @narendramodi Ji’s vision and CM @gupta_rekha Ji’s leadership, we’re proving that a modern city can still make space for the wild. And we are not just witnessing this biodiversity… we are actively safeguarding it and taking care of it.” Speaking to The Indian Express, Sirsa said, “This is a sign of a healthy ecosystem… Making water available for animals is the top priority of the department to preserve the leopard population… Recently, several new water holes were dug to make sure enough water is available for animals.” Spread across 32 sq km, Asola Bhati has seen its leopard count go up to 12 since last September, indicating that the animals were also breeding inside the park. A senior forest official said, “There are several challenges in conserving and ensuring the well-being of leopards. Since it is an urban area, man-animal conflicts are common… There are several unauthorised colonies in the surrounding areas of the park… local residents often enter and remove camera traps…” Story continues below this ad The official added that the number of camera traps, used to keep an eye on the animals, has increased with 45 new motion-detecting devices added — taking the number from 15 to 60. This is not the first time that a leopard has been sighted at the sanctuary. According to a 2022 report by the Bombay Natural History Society, eight leopards were caught on camera in a year. Officials said the leopard population in Delhi, as well as the frequency of such sightings, has increased, with a leopard sighted at least once every month. Last month, a leopard was sighted at the Asola Bhati sanctuary, officials added. Maintaining that efforts are on to ensure the sanctuary only uses electric vehicles, Sirsa said, “There should be no foreign material in the park. We want to make it completely environment-friendly. Golf carts are allowed, but soon, we will switch to electric tractors for maintenance and other work.” Story continues below this ad Asola Bhati is home to 25 species of mammals, including leopards, Striped Hyena, Golden Jackal and Fruit Bat. It is also home to 115 bird species.