A snake rescuer jumped into an irrigation pond to rescue a rat snake in western India.

The incident happened on July 28 in the Kapurwadi village near Ahmednagar.

Footage show rescuer Hrishikesh getting into the water and rescuing the non-venomous snake.

Akash Jadhav, who heads the rescue team, said: “Rat snakes are very good swimmers. It is difficult to catch them standing on the surface. So, we decided to send Hrishikesh into water. It worked.”

A farmer in Kapurwadi village near Ahmednagar in Western India saw a six-feet-long adult rat snake swimming in his irrigation pond.

He called Animal Rescue Society and Akash Jadhav went to the spot along with his team to rescue the snake.

As the snake is non venomous, a team member Hrishikesh got into the water. Though the snake tried to dodge him a few times, it was tired and gave up. Hrishikesh dived under water and surfaced, holding the snake by its tail, which was later released in the wild.

Akash said: “Rat snakes are very good swimmers. It is difficult to catch them standing on the surface. So, we decided to send Hrishikesh into water. It worked.”