The 5-year-old female cat had fallen into the open well, probably while looking for water.
A farmer out to turn off the irrigation pump in Maharashtra's Junnar, near Pune, was in for a shock on Thursday morning. At the bottom of the 30-ft well from which the water was drawn, was a leopard.
The 5-year-old female cat had fallen into the open well, probably while looking for water.
By the time it was found, the animal was terrified and struggling to stay out of the water.
The villagers contacted the Forest Department, which diverted the call to the a local leopard rescue Centre run by a non-profit.
The big cat was rescued after an hour-long operation. A cage was lowered into the well and the leopard, desperate for dry land, climbed into it.
The animal was later checked by vets and released into the forest.
A number of leopards have been killed in rural areas lately as development surges and man-animal conflict is intensified. Many of the animals have been beaten to death by villagers.
Recently, panic struck Bengaluru and schools were shut down as a leopard was seen prowling inside a school near the city. The animal was captured alive, but five people had been injured in the process.