Maharashtra villagers rescue jackal from 25-foot-deep well

Monday evening turned out to be eventful for the residents of the Inglun village located in Maharashtra’s Pune district as they were shocked to hear an unfamiliar sound coming from a nearby well.

When they investigated the source of the sound, they found a Golden jackal inside a 25-foot-deep well. The villagers noticed that the animal was struggling to stay afloat and worried about its safety, they contacted the Maharashtra Forest Department who alerted the Wildlife SOS team at Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre in Junnar.

On reaching the spot, the forest department officials and the rescue team found that the distressed jackal had taken up shelter in a crevice inside the well. They at once lowered a trap into the well with its open door angled towards the jackal. However, the creature was too scared to enter the cage. With night setting in, it was vital to get the jackal inside the cage and to help it one of the Wildlife SOS members climbed down the well and coaxed it to do so.

After taking out the jackal an onsite health assessment was done by the Wildlife SOS veterinarian and it was found that the animal was healthy. It was released back into the wild.

Talking about the rescue operation, Ajit Shinde, Junnar Range Forest Officer said: “Open wells are a common threat to wildlife around villages, and our teams are always vigilant to provide any assistance when it comes to rescuing animals in distress.”