Brave Villagers Save a Leopard From Drowning in a Dramatic Rescue

The effort took place in Yadavwadi a village in Otur, Maharashtra, India, where a 7-year-old female leopard had fallen into a 30ft (10m) well and was on the verge of drowning.

Wildlife SOS detailed to National Geographic back in 2016 that leopards often fall into wells when chasing prey or fighting in the vicinity of the water vessel. In the past, the non-profit has overseen the care of 31 of the big cats who had been rescued from similar situations.

The harrowing rescue starts off as the team coupled with the Forest department lowered a wooden ladder into the well as something for the sodden cat to hold on to as it would have surely been exhausted. Then the group teams together to lower a crate down a for the Leopard to climb into. The feline seemed hesitant at first but soon quickly clambered into her makeshift elevator to safety.

The real threat

Wildlife SOS told National Geographic that even once rescued, leopards may still have a hard time in the wild as they "are struggling to find a foothold in the vanishing forests due to habitat modification."

Not only is deforestation a threat to the wildlife in India, but poaching and village attacks also account for a large number of leopard deaths in the country. Althoughthe hunting of leopards is illegaldue to their endangered status, leopards are often the most ignored wild cat in terms of conservation efforts.

Despite this, recent years has seen a rise in the Indian leopard population and this lucky cat managed to be freed from the well to survive another day.

You can watch the dramatic encounter in the video above.