In what can be described as a miracle, a leopard had a narrow escape with certain death after it fell in an open well in Belsar village. This village is located in Pune, Maharashtra’s Junnar division.
The feline was saved due to joint effort of the Wildlife SOS and the Forest Department.
After the creature fell, it paddled to keep itself afloat and alive but it was at risk of drowning as the water in the well was 10 feet deep. A local farmer concerned about the leopard’s life quickly informed the Forest Department. The Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Center was also alerted.
The Wildlife SOS sent a three-member rescue team led by veterinary officer Dr. Nikhil Bangar. They were accompanied by a team of forest officers to the location, with necessary rescue equipment.
While keeping the inquisitive crowd at bay, the rescue team got into action. A trap cage was then lowered into the well to rescue the leopard.
Bangar sharing details of the rescue operation said: “The leopard is a male, approx. 7-years-old. The animal is exhausted from the ordeal, and will be kept under observation for a few days till he is deemed fit for release.”
The forest official of the region, Ajit Shinde who is the Range Forest Officer said: “This is becoming a common occurrence across Junnar as leopards often fall prey to open wells while on foraging trips. We have advised the villagers to take precautionary measures by covering up open wells.”
It may be recalled that just weeks ago, a leopard was rescued from a 35-feet-deep well in Narayanwadi village in Junnar division. Talking about these incidents, Kartick Satyanarayan, CEO & Co-founder Wildlife SOS said: “This is the second incident this week where we have assisted the Forest Department with the timely rescue of a leopard from an uncovered well. The issue cannot be taken lightly. It is not just leopards, a species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, that are vulnerable to these wells, but also several other species that may fall in accidentally, with potentially fatal results.”
Also read: Maharashtra villagers come to the rescue of leopard that fell into a well
