Kollam: A leopard that had fallen into a well at a house near Pathanapuram was rescued by the Forest Department on Friday after a four-hour operation.

The incident occurred at the residence of Shibi, at Channgapara, a village close to the reserve forest. The house owner found the adult leopard trapped in the well at 7 am. The family immediately alerted forest officials, who rushed to the spot.

Officials said the house is located close to forest boundaries, an area where wild animals often stray. The rescue proved particularly challenging as the leopard was stuck in a deep well, making it unsafe to use a tranquiliser dart.

The team eventually managed to trap the animal using nets and lift it out of the well after several hours of effort. The leopard was later moved to a nearby forest station for a medical assessment.

Forest officials said the animal will be released into the wild after confirming that it is in good health. It is suspected that the leopard may have fallen into the well on Thursday night.