Rare Javan leopard rescued from village, set for release back into wild
Wildlife officials in West Java successfully rescued a critically endangered three-year-old Javan leopard after it was found in a village warehouse. The animal is now undergoing rehabilitation at Lembang Zoo with plans for release back into Mount Ciremai National Park, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by this rare species.
Indonesia – Wildlife officers in West Java rescued a three-year-old male Javan leopard after it strayed into a warehouse in Kuningan on 26 August 2025. The incident drew widespread attention and highlighted pressures on the species’ shrinking habitat.
According to the Jakarta Globe, villagers in Kutamandarakan, Maleber subdistrict, first heard growls on the night of 25 August. The following morning around 7 a.m., a construction worker named Imam discovered the leopard inside the warehouse and saw it retreat into another room.
The discovery quickly drew hundreds of onlookers and prompted a coordinated response from police, firefighters, disaster management officers, and the West Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA). After a three-hour effort, BKSDA officers tranquilised and secured the animal.
On 27 August, local media reported that the leopard had been transferred temporarily to Lembang Zoo in West Bandung due to limited readiness at the Cikembulan rehabilitation centre in Garut. Agus Arianto, head of the West Java Natural Resources Conservation Centre (BBKSDA Jabar), said the release could take place within days if Mount Ciremai National Park is ready and the animal’s health is stable.
The Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas) is listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Found only on Java, the species’ remaining populations are concentrated in national parks.
A Java-wide survey in February 2024 estimated about 350 mature individuals left in the wild. The Javan leopard is considered the island’s last surviving big cat, following the extinction of the Javan tiger in the 1980s.
