A well in the village of Kardehalli presents a hazard for animals like jackals, snakes, dogs, buffaloes, and civet cats, a hazard that the Animal Rahat team deals with all over the area because uncovered—and impossible to cover—wells are everywhere.
Proof of its danger is the civet cat below, who nearly died when she fell into the well’s gaping hole. Civet cats (aka “palm civets”) are nocturnal, and a giant, watery pit would be nearly impossible to spot in the dark—especially if she were moving quickly.
After what surely was a frightening fall 30 feet into equally deep water, this civet cat must have paddled to the side of the well. She managed to pull herself up onto a tiny rock ledge, but that was as far as she could make it because the well’s walls were too steep and crumbly for her to climb. She was trapped, unable to move without slipping back into the cold, murky water.
A villager heard her distressed calls and contacted Animal Rahat. Team members reached the scene and found that there was nothing nearby to serve as an anchor for their ropes. That meant that rappelling down into the well wasn’t an option—they would have to conduct the rescue from above.
The team tied ropes to a large net before lowering it down to the civet cat. The fearful animal dodged the net as soon as it came close, leaping away and swimming to the far side of the well. But the team was patient and persistent, and soon she swam back toward the ledge and the waiting net. The team seized the opportunity to scoop her up and carefully pull her out of the well.
The team’s veterinarian examined her and found no injuries. Her rescuers then transported her away from the well for release, and when they opened the net, she took off like a shot, disappearing into the brush and back to her life in the fields.