Trapped leopard rescued from a 25-feet-deep well

A leopard trapped in a 25-feet-deep well was saved from drowning with the help of a wooden ladder in Navalewadi village located in Pune district of Maharashtra.

Wildlife SOS assisted the Maharashtra Forest Department in the successful rescue and release of the big cat.

Navalewadi village in Pune were startled by the panicked roars, echoing from deep within an open well a couple of days ago.

It turned out that a leopard was struggling to stay afloat in waist-deep water and the seemingly powerful feline appeared exhausted from the ordeal.

Fearing for the leopard’s safety, the villagers immediately alerted the MFD.

A four-member rescue team operating out of Wildlife SOS run Leopard RescueCentre in Junnar was also dispatched to assist the forest officers.

In the meantime, a group of villagers who have been trained by Wildlife SOS and the MFD in conflict mitigation and rescue operations, lowered a wooden ladder into the well so that the leopard could clamber onto it for temporary support.

Once the rescue team arrived at the scene, a trap cage was lowered into the well with its door angled towards the leopard. Almost grateful for a dry spot to move onto, the big cat jumped into the cage and was gradually lifted out of the well.

The leopard was taken to the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre for a medical examination and was later released back into the wild.

Dr. Nikhil Bangar, Wildlife Veterinary Officer, Wildlife SOS, said, “The leopard is a female, estimated to be 1-2 years old. She had sustained minor cuts and bruises from the fall. After a few hours under observation, the leopard was released back into the wild.”

Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder and CEO, Wildlife SOS, said, “Despite the years of experience on our hands, our rescuers always take into consideration the possible risks and challenges while conducting such rescue operations. Open wells are a major threat to wildlife as most often animals end up drowning or succumbing to starvation and injuries.”

Yogesh Ghodake, Range Forest Officer, Otur, said, “The animals trapped in such dangerous situations are already very stressed so ensuring their safety and comfort is our priority. Open wells are a common threat to wildlife around villages, and our teams are vigilant constantly to provide any assistance when it comes to rescuing animals in distress.”