Story By: Lee Bullen, Sub Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Asia Wire Report

Video Credit: AsiaWire/Wildlife SOS

This is the dramatic rescue of a soaked and scared leopard cub that fell down a 25-foot-deep well.

The incident took place in the village of Pondvadi Lakhangaon outside Manchar in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, and the cub was rescued by members of the Forest Department and the NGO ‘Wildlife SOS’.

According to reports, the six-month-old female leopard was later released back into the wild.

Pictures Credit: AsiaWire/Wildlife SOS

The drama started when a farmer approached the well to turn on a motor pump and was shocked to see the cub’s frightened eyes looking up at him.

Fortunately, the Wildlife SOS’ senior vet Dr. Ajay Deshmukh was in a nearby area teaching a course to 20 forest department trainees.

Representatives from both organisations then went to the scene to help the trapped leopard.

The joint rescue team lowered a large cage with a closing door which was then used to lift the cub out of the 25-foot-deep well, as seen in the video footage.

Dr. Deshmukh then carried out a routine check and confirmed that the leopard was approximately six months old and female.

He told local media: “The cub was exhausted and was kept under observation to ensure she recuperated safely from the ordeal.

“As leopards are territorial animals, their survival in the wild reduces if they are released in a different area. Therefore, the leopard was later released close to where she had been found.”