In Kerala, family finds leopard in well; rescue operation on

Wayanad, Oct 07: A leopard was found in a well of a house at Puthiyidam in this high range district on Friday and efforts are on to rescue the animal, wildlife officials here said.

Jose, the house owner, said he and other family members looked into the well this morning as water was not getting pumped out despite repeated running of the motor. "We were shocked to see a leopard in our well.

It seems that the animal has damaged the water pumps...that's why we did not get water," he said. Though there was a covering net above the well, the animal somehow accidentally fell into it, a senior wildlife official said.

"Efforts are on to rescue the leopard. We have contacted the Tamil Nadu wildlife department and are waiting for the veterinarian and other gadgets to reach here from the neighbouring state for the mission," DFO Martin Lowel told PTI.

The experts, attached to the local forest office, recently moved to Idukki as part of a mission to trap a strayed tiger there, he said. The leopard looked healthy as of now and efforts are on to pump out the water from the well, the officer added.