Wild leopard rescued from 50-foot well in India

April 2 (UPI) -- A leopard that fell into a 50-foot-deep well in India was rescued by Forest Department personnel in an hours-long operation.

The Forest Department said personnel stationed at the Bhavani Sagar Forest Range in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve received word about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday that a leopard had fallen into farmer K. Shanmugam's well in Pudukuiyanur village, near Bannari.

The officials responded to the scene with K. Ashokan, wildlife veterinary surgeon at Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve.

The rescuers tranquilized the leopard with a dart and used a net to lift it out of the deep hole.

The leopard was transported to the Bhavani Sagar Forest Range and released back into the wild.