This is the daring moment forest officials rescue a bison that had accidentally fallen into a 50-foot-deep well and remained trapped there.

The rescue operation, carried out by the Tamil Nadu Forest team near Manaparai Range at Nadupatti Village in Tamil Nadu State, southern India, reportedly lasted for more than four hours.

Rescuers rushed to the scene on Tuesday, 30th January, after learning the female bison stuck inside a 50-ft-deep well that had nearly 30 feet of water.

Local farmers reportedly heard its cries at around 4am and alerted Dr Kalaivanan, a forest veterinarian from the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve.

Weighing at about 1,300 lbs, the bison’s rescue posed a great challenge and required the fire department’s aid, Indian media reported.

Dr Kalaivanan told local media: “I received a call immediately, and while heading to Tiruchy, we [the forest team] began brainstorming potential solutions to lift the gaur [Indian bison].”

The vet continued: “Draining the water from the well to rescue the gaur would take too long. Therefore, I had to come up with a plan B.

“The gaur didn’t have space to rest down as it was filled with rocks. Typically, if the fall isn’t too deep, we would create a ramp, and the gaur can naturally climb up.

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“But since, after a certain level, there were only rocks here, we didn’t have that option.”

He added: “Delaying the operation by draining water out was not an option, as it might have jeopardised the animal’s life. So, we had to act swiftly.”

Instead, he explained their only option was to lift the bison out of the deep well.

They tied its horns to prevent it from drowning and affixed a chest belt and an abdomen belt with the help of a crane.

Video footage of the bold rescue shows the moment they lifted the heavy animal with huge horns out of its trap.

Their next biggest challenge was safely releasing the bison without it attacking the rescuers.

For that purpose, they administered mild sedation with Dr Kalaivanan’s assistance and could carefully remove its belts.

The vet said: “After lifting the gaur, we removed the belts, administered reversal medicines, and provided supportive treatment to ensure pain and infection were addressed.

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“We attended to some mild injuries as well. We provided it with some support for rumination – occurring from ingesting excessive water – and released it, after which it began moving towards the forest.”

Another clip, filmed by rescuers from inside a car, shows the moment the gaur was back on safe ground and slowly walked to freedom.

According to Dr Kalaivanan, these incidents are common in agricultural areas.

He said: “Due to the absence of barriers in most of these wells, such incidents occur. When the bison grazes on the grass, they tend to slip and fall.”

He added: “Therefore, we are recommending that farmers construct barriers at least four-five feet high.

“This measure will not only safeguard the gaurs but also protect their families and livestock from accidental falls.”

The Indian bison, also known as the Indian Gaur, is a robust and large herbivorous mammal native to South Asia.

It features a sturdy build, dark brown to black coat, and distinctive curved horns.

It is currently classified as ‘Vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) mainly due to habitat loss and poaching.