Gujarat: Four big cats saved from well in Amreli

Three days after a video of lions roaming in city roads in Junagadh went viral, four other big cats were rescued from an open well in Saradiya range in Gir East in Dhari taluka of Amreli district.

The rescue operations of the three lions and a lioness began in the early hours of Sunday. Forest officials said that the well that had not been in use was about 100 feet deep and was on a farm in Manavav. The rescued big cats were in the two to three years age group and are believed to have fallen in it on Saturday evening.

"The forest department came to know about it after the owner of the land informed us. A team was sent immediately to rescue the lions. The operation went on till the early hours of Sunday," said an official.

On Friday a video of pride of seven lions roaming the city roads in Junagadh near the Girnar Wildlife sanctuary had gone viral. Forest officials called it natural behaviour and that it was not uncommon. They had said that the Girnar Taleti road was a natural corridor for lions and the big cats often come out on the roads during the night. In August end the state govt had given a detailed list of measures it had taken to ensure protection of the lions.