A leopard that fell into an open well located on a private property at Cherambadi in Cheppanthodu, Pandalur taluk in The Nilgiris, on Sunday morning was rescued by about 7.30 in the evening.
Another animal belonging to the cat family (exact species yet to be established) that also fell into the well was also rescued.
Forest Department officials said that the owner of the house found the leopard, and what was initially believed to be its cub, inside the well on Sunday morning. The Forest Department, Gudalur division, personnel used a net to trap the adult leopard, before darting it with a tranquillizer and safely rescued the animal from the well and placed it in a cage. They then waded into the water in search of the “cub”.
The second animal was also safely rescued by the forest department staff and it was identified as a cat.
Forest veterinarian E Vijayaraghavan told The Hindu that the smaller animal could be a jungle cat, a domestic feline or a leopard.
“The skin is covered with mud and the marks on the animal are not clear. We will get a better picture of what the second animal is in the morning,” he said. They are also yet to ascertain the age and gender of the leopard. The department officials said that the two animals will be taken to Nandugani near Gudalur where they will be kept overnight. The animals will be checked for any signs of illness or injuries and later released.
