MUMBAI, Feb. 22 -- Residents of an 84-flat housing society in Goregaon East were left alarmed after a leopard was spotted perched on their compound wall in the early hours of Friday. The animal was seen around 2am on the rear boundary wall of Giri Kunj building at New Mhada Colony, Dindoshi. A video of the leopard, recorded by Ragini Manekar, a resident, was quickly circulated on the society's WhatsApp group, making the families concerned about their safety. By morning, residents contacted the forest department through local legislator Ramesh Prabhu, seeking immediate intervention. Range Forest Officer Yogesh Mahajan visited the site and said leopard movement along this stretch is not unusual given its proximity to Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Film City. "Leopards have been frequenting this belt for years. We inspected the premises and found that although the compound wall has barbed wire fencing, it is broken at a few points. Residents have been asked to repair it immediately," Mahajan said. The forest team also flagged inadequate lighting in parts of the compound and advised the society to install stronger illumination, especially near blind spots. Residents have been told to ensure that CCTV cameras are functional and to avoid allowing children to play alone during late evenings. Senior citizens have been advised against venturing out alone at night. A resident, Dr Rameshwari Patil, said the sighting has created anxiety within the society. "There is definitely a scare, with fewer people stepping out for strolls. We have decided to install floodlights near vulnerable spots and repair the old, rusted barbed wires," she said. The sighting comes months after a leopard attack in Bhayandar that left 23-year-old Anjali Tak seriously injured, once again bringing the issue of human-animal interaction into focus. Naturalist Shardul Bajikar of Mumbaikars for SGNP, a citizen initiative launched in 2012 to address human-animal interactions around the national park, said a sighting by itself does not amount to conflict. "Merely spotting a leopard is an interaction, not a conflict. Leopards have always been around. What we are witnessing is increased interface as urbanisation edges closer to forested areas," he said....