A leopard was hoisted out of a well in Hadgaon, Maharashtra after spending 18 hours trapped in the hole.

Footage from January 14 shows the wild animal clinging onto a pipe in order to stay above the water. A cot was lowered down to the leopardess so she could stand above water level.

The big cat then leapt into a cage that was lowered into the well. It was then hoisted to the surface by officials.

Honorary Wildlife Warden Atindra Katti said that the well at the farm neither had a fence, nor a protective wall, due to which the animal could have fallen inside while looking for prey in the dark.

After being rescued, the leopard is being kept under observation and will be released once deemed medically fit.

A sub-adult female leopard of age three years that was stranded in a well for over 18 hours was rescued by the forest department in western India's Maharashtra on January 14. The rescue operation was carried out in Rodgi village of Nanded district's Hadgaon town.

Visuals of the rescue operation show the leopard clinging onto a water pipe inside the deep well. Later, the leopardess can be seen resting on a cot lowered down for the purpose of the rescue. 

After successfully leaping onto the cot, the animal was lured into a cage lowered into the well. A video from later shows the leopard trapped inside the cage.

Honorary Wildlife Warden Atindra Katti said that the well at the farm neither had a fence, nor a protective wall, due to which the animal could have fallen inside while looking for prey in the dark. A local spotted the animal and immediately alerted the forest department.

The Forest Team led by Divisional Forest Officer RA Satelikar rushed to the spot and rescued the animal in an operation that lasted for four hours. The leopard is being kept under observation and will be released into its natural habitat once deemed medically fit.