By Dr. Jordan Schaul (jordan@wildlifesos.org)
Twelve hours of driving in the scorching summer heat is what our wildlife rescue team endured in order to rescue a handful of kittens from a dangerous situation!
Two of our courageous rescue officers left for the rescue operation at 5 AM this morning on a very long 600 kilometer journey in fiercely hot weather after receiving a SOS phone call about two little jungle cat kittens that had fallen into a deep well in a remote village near Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Indeed, Wildlife SOS works in all kinds of conditions—we are all-weather proof wildlife friendly servants of the animal kingdom so to speak. Be it the 120 degree dry heat of a North Indian Summer or the insane humidity associated with the monsoon season that follows, we rescue wildlife in distress, come rain, shine or floods!
Our team reached the location and spotted two helpless jungle cat kittens at the bottom of a fifty feet deep dry well. To make things difficult, the sides of the well had dense vegetation. It was a rather risky operation, including some hazards faced by rescuer Karamvir. Apparently, he rappelled down the treacherous well with a rope around his waist. Meanwhile, Ashish lowered a basket on a secure line to help contain the kittens. Once the struggling, non-cooperative kittens were secured in the basket, they were gently pulled up to safety.
The kittens were examined for injuries and broken bones and then given a drink of water, which they gratefully lapped up.
Jungle cats are found in a variety of habitats in India including human-dominated landscapes. Larger than domestic cats, they are often poached for meat and skin.
“We don’t know how long these kittens have been in the well and if the fall has resulted in any internal injuries. We will observe them for a few days and once they have recovered their strength, they will be released back in the wild†said Geeta Seshamani, Co founder Wildlife SOS.
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