As the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) reports on its website, the animal drama happened on December 4th in the Mexican state of Quintana Ro. There, in the early hours of the morning, an unusual duel broke out: a jaguar attacked a dog!
In the middle of their argument, however, something happened that neither of the two four-legged friends had expected: the opponents fell together into a well shaft that was almost two meters deep.
The hole in the ground was so deep that they couldn’t get out on their own, so they were stuck down there together. Luckily for « Negrito, » as the dog was called, the jaguar suffered shock from the fall and left therefore from his attacks. So both were still alive but in dire need of help.
But the big cat was lucky too: As Victor Rosales of the local animal protection organization Aak Mahahual explains, the situation could have been resolved simply by shooting the wild animal and thus eliminating the danger it posed.
Instead, however, the rescuers decided to help both of them! Both Negrito and his hissing opponent should survive the accident. Several local groups and animal protection teams took part in the operation.
The dog was quickly pulled out of the pit and then taken to a veterinary clinic where doctors attended to his injuries. Getting the wild jaguar out of the hole, on the other hand, was more difficult.
As can be seen in a YouTube video of the rescue operation, the helpers first covered the shaft with logs to secure the big cat. They then lowered another trunk into the shaft, which was then to serve as a ladder for the trapped animal.
When all the humans had ducked, they opened the hole cover and the jaguar was able to climb back to freedom.