A golden jackal that had fallen in an eight-feet deep dry water tank in a Chattarpur farmhouse on Saturday morning has been rescued.  The animal was released back into its natural habitat later.

Incidentally, the jackal was spotted by residents and staff of a farmhouse located in Bhatti Khurd, Chattarpur  who heard a strange whimpering noise on their premises.

A two-member team from Wildlife SOS NGO immediately arrived at the location with all the necessary equipment in hand. The team members utilized a ladder to reach the bottom of the water tank which  was filled with bricks and pieces of trash.

After an hour-long rescue operation, the jackal was safely extricated from the well and transferred into a transportation carrier.  Found with no injuries, the jackal was later released back into its natural habitat.

Gulab Singh, the person who called Wildlife SOS, said, “We contacted Wildlife SOS after our neighbours informed us that they had previously helped rescue animals in the area.”

Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-Founder and CEO of Wildlife SOS, said, “Chhatarpur attracts a multitude of wild animals due to its proximity with the Delhi ridge. Rescue operations involving jackals need to be carried out with a lot of skill and patience. Our rescue team is trained to ensure that the operation is carried out swiftly and the  animal is not harmed.”

Wasim Akram, Deputy Director - Special Projects, Wildlife SOS, said, “Golden Jackal or Indian jackal is widespread across India. Spotting a Jackal in Delhi is relatively rare but not uncommon. Due to habitat encroachment and rapid urbanization, wild animals are being forced to traverse human-dominated areas in search of food or shelter.”

Jackals play an important ecological role and are valuable for the health of a habitat. Omnivores in nature, they feed on small mammals, insects, hares, fish, birds and fruits and often venture into human habitats in search of the same.

This species is protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.