Gaur rescued from 50-foot-deep water well in Satara

Kolhapur:The forest department successfully rescued a wild gaur that had fallen into a 50-foot-deep well at Mouje Dhondewadi in Karad tehsil of Satara district following a five-hour operation.The animal was safely released back into its natural habitat on Monday after medical evaluation.The incident came to light late Sunday night, prompting forest officials and staffers to rush to the spot immediately. The rescue mission, which required precision and coordination, continued till the early hours of Monday morning. The animal was safely released back into its natural habitat after medical evaluation.The operation was conducted under the guidance of Amol Satpute, deputy conservator of forests (Satara), and Jayashree Jadhav, assistant conservator of forests. The field team was led by forest range officers Lalita Patil and Rajesh Nalawde, supported by forest guards from Malkapur, Masur, Nandgaon, Shenoli, Kole, Chafal, and Tambave. They were joined by the Karad unit and the Kolhapur rescue team.To ensure the animal's safety, the team utilised a crane to carefully lift the heavy gaur from the depths of the well. The delicate process took approximately five hours to complete.Pradeep Sutar, chief of the wildlife rapid rescue team in Kolhapur, said, "After nearly five hours of concerted effort, the gaur was safely pulled out using a crane. Once the animal was out, we conducted a medical fitness exam to ensure it had sustained no serious injuries. It was then released back into the wild. The entire operation was a seamless team effort."