An empathic farmer of Maharashtra’s Waghale village in Pune district helped to save the life of a distressed Golden jackal which was stuck in a 25-foot-deep well and would have surely died but for his alertness.

The animal was spotted by the villager and seeing it struggling to get out of the open dry well called the Maharashtra Forest Department who along with Wildlife SOS’s rescue team reached the spot immediately.

The rescue team initially tried to lure the jackal into a cage placed inside the well. However, the frightened animal was hesitant to enter and so a rescuer descended into the pit with a snare pole and skilfully manoeuvred it into a safety net and then carefully lifted it out.

It was a tough operation that took three hours to complete.

The Wildlife SOS veterinary team examined the jackal on the spot and it looked to be in good health. Subsequently, the animal was released back into its natural habitat after ensuring its freedom and well-being.

Dr Chandan Sawane, Veterinary Officer, Wildlife SOS remarked: “The jackal was in distress when we reached the location. We identified the jackal to be at least 3 to 4 years old. The animal was healthy and no injuries were found upon inspection.”