A little cormorant became trapped in netting after attempting to steal a fisherman's prawns in Odisha, eastern India.

Footage captured on February 3 shows a rescue team boating towards the fishing net on Chilika lake.

A team led by Lalit Mohan Panda of Snake Helpline lifted the bamboo poles and dragged the netting toward them before capturing the bird.

The bird was checked for injuries and then released.

Lalit said: "It was a difficult rescue as we had to balance on a boat and reach out to the bird. It scratched me with its sharp claws but the pain subsided when I saw the bird fly into the open sky.”

A little cormorant bird went to steal prawns at the Chilika lake in eastern India but was trapped inside a fish net.

Realising that the bird was about to drown, a team led by Lalit Mohan Panda of Snake Helpline, went to rescue it. They lifted the bamboo poles, dragged the fishing net towards them, and gently captured the bird.

The bird was checked for injuries and then released.

Lalit said: "It was a difficult rescue as we had to balance on a boat and reach out to the bird. It scratched me with its sharp claws but the pain subsided when I saw the bird fly fly into the open sky.”