Dramatic footage shows tusker elephant being rescued from well

A representative of the Indian Forest Service has shared footage showing the tense rescue of an elephant that had become trapped in a well in the state of Odisha.

“A tusker rescued from an open well in [the town of] Narla. Well done team Kalahandi North,” Susanta Nanda stated Thursday via X.

The footage, captured from the cab of a tractor used to create a path for the elephant, shows the disoriented animal struggling to regain its footing and ramming the vehicle before trotting into the forest.

(Click here to view the video.)

It also shows townsfolk cheering the rescue from the branches of a large tree.

It remains unclear how the elephant became trapped, but unprotected wells are a threat to elephants throughout much of their habitat.