Female leopard rescued from 35-feet well in Maharashtra

Mumbai: In a daring operation, a female leopard that accidentally fell into 35-feet well in Khanapur village located in the Junnar Forest Range in Pune district of Maharashtra, was rescued by Maharashtra Forest Department and Wildlife SOS.

The leopard, aged 3 to 4 years, is currently under observation at Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre at Junnar.

Leopard during rescue operation. 

Residents of Khanapur village discovered the leopard trapped in water inside an open well on the village outskirts late in the evening. They then promptly alerted the forest department, which then contacted Wildlife SOS for assistance.

A two-member rescue team from Wildlife SOS, along with a team from the Junnar Forest Division, arrived at the site, equipped to handle the situation. The environment already posed a challenge due to the absence of light. Sensing the graveness of the young leopard stuck in the water, the combined team wasted no time and lowered a rescue cage.

Leopard during rescue operation. 

The leopard initially showed reluctance, taking time to assess the cage. Eventually, she climbed inside, allowing the team to safely pull her to the surface.

Due to the unfavourable lighting conditions, the feline was transported to the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre where she is currently under veterinary observation.

Leopard during rescue operation. 

Dr. Avinash Visalkar, Veterinary Officer, Wildlife SOS stated, “Open wells pose a risk of serious injury to animals who fall in. In this case, when we reached the location the leopard was clearly distressed, but thankfully she was unharmed. We will conduct a routine medical assessment of the leopard.”

Smita Rajhans, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), Junnar Forest Division, also commented, “This successful rescue displays seamless coordination between the Maharashtra Forest Department and Wildlife SOS. The effort remains incomplete without the combined support of the villagers, the Junnar Forest Division team and the Wildlife SOS team.”

Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder & CEO of Wildlife SOS, said, “Open wells remain a significant threat to wild animals in forested regions, and we are grateful for the quick thinking of the villagers as first responders.”

Though such incidents have reduced significantly due to the ongoing Open Wells Conservation Project by Wildlife SOS and the Maharashtra Forest Department, sporadic cases still keep occurring, reminding us that there is a pressing need for ongoing open well securing and engaging in long-term wildlife conservation.