Villagers in rural east India were surprised to find a strange animal inside a water tank on February 5.

The cat was discovered in Panchagaon on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

The animal, which looked like a miniature leopard, was later identified as a fishing cat, a nocturnal animal which is rarely spotted and has been listed as endangered due to loss of habitat.

On getting the news, District Forest Officer (DFO) Ashok Mishra sent a rescue team to pull the cat out of the tank.

The team set up a crane and platform to try and lift the struggling cat free, but it took at least two hours to coax it onto the board lowered for it.

After lifting it to safety, the cat immediately ran off into the jungle.

DFO Ashok Mishra said: "The fishing cat might have entered into the tank in the night looking for fish, it's main food. It was not tired and could run away so fast."

Honorary Wildlife Warden of Khordha, Subhendu Mallik, said: “There is no point in sending a healthy wild animal to zoo as a captive. The forest staff did the right thing by letting it live freely in its own habitat. “

Villagers at Panchagaon on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar in eastern India were surprised to find a strange animal inside a water tank on February 5.

The animal, which looked like a miniature leopard, was later identified as a fishing cat, a nocturnal animal which is rarely spotted and has been listed as endangered due to loss of habitat.

On getting the news, District Forest Officer (DFO) Ashok Mishra sent a rescue team to pull the cat out of the tank.

The forest officials brought in a crane and lowered a platform to lift the cat, which was hanging on for its life on a floating wooden plank.

But it took nearly two hours to make the cat climb the platform. The animal was reluctant to leave its plank and it responded furiously with a ‘hiss’ when attempts were made to prod it towards the platform with a long stick.

The officials raised the platform a little above the water and the cat seemed to realise that they were trying to help and climbed it.

The platform along with the cat was lifted to safety and the animal ran away into wilderness.

DFO Ashok Mishra said: "The fishing cat might have entered into the tank in the night looking for fish, it's main food. It was not tired and could run away so fast."

Honorary Wildlife Warden of Khordha, Subhendu Mallik, said: “There is no point in sending a healthy wild animal to zoo as a captive. The forest staff did the right thing by letting it live freely in its own habitat. “