Leopard rescued from 15-metre-deep well in India

Forest officials rescued a seven-year-old leopard that had fallen into a 15-metre-deep well in the west-central Indian state of Maharashtra on Monday.

According to local media, residents of the Pimpalgaon Rotha village heard panicked roars echoing from deep within the open well at around 9 a.m.

Seeing that the leopard was drowning in the waist-deep water, they alerted officials, who turned to a Wildlife SOS team for help.

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While waiting for the team to arrive, officials first lowered a platform into the well so that the terrified leopard could clamber onto the makeshift platform for temporary support.

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“The leopard was in a state of panic and had to be rescued immediately,” said Dr. Ajay Deshmukh, senior veterinarian at the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre.

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Later, the Wildlife SOS team drifted a trap cage in the well with the open door angled towards the leopard.

The animal jumped into the cage and was quickly lifted out of the well.

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According to Deshmukh, the leopard was healthy and fit for release after a thorough physical examination.