Mangaluru: A seven-year-old leopard, which had tumbled into an open well on a farm in Maroor, near Moodbidri, in Dakshina Kannada, was successfully rescued on Monday morning by the Forest Department officials, aided by local residents.

According to Moodbidri Range Forest Officer Hemagiri Angadi, the leopard's presence in the area had been noticed by passers-by over the past few days. Angadi suggested that the leopard might have accidentally fallen into the well while pursuing dogs in the vicinity.

It took the department personnel almost three hours to carefully maneuver the leopard into a cage, which was then lowered into the well and subsequently lifted out.