Blackbucks, Vultures, Cobras: 5 Incredible Wildlife Rescues India Won’t Forget From 2025

Some rescues begin with a sound — a rustle in the dark, a cry rising from a forgotten well, a wing beating against the wind after a long recovery. In 2025, across India, these small signals pulled people into moments that asked for courage, care and quick action.

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And time after time, ordinary people answered.

Villagers climbed down into cramped spaces, forest guards carried hope on their shoulders, rescue teams stitched fragile lives back together. Each rescue felt different, yet every one revealed the same thing: compassion travels fast, and it often arrives before fear.

Here are five rescues that stayed with people this year, reminders that India’s wild heart beats strongest when people choose to protect it.

1. Blackbuck pulled out of a deep, dry well

Did you know that in many villages of rural Maharashtra, 30–50 open wells sit uncovered, often just a few metres from fields and forest edges? They are essential for daily water needs, but for wildlife, they quietly become some of the most common danger spots. Deer, leopards, nilgai, hyenas and jackals often fall into them, unable to climb back out.

One afternoon, a blackbuck slipped into one such dry, deep well. By the time locals spotted her, she was panicked and exhausted. The team from ManWithIndies and the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Forest Department reached quickly, knowing that timing would make all the difference.

They put together a simple, species-appropriate plan. A specially designed rescue cage was lowered into the well, giving the blackbuck something safe to step into. Once secured, she was lifted out, examined on the spot, and given immediate medical attention. She recovered well and was soon released into the wild.

2. The Eurasian Griffon Vulture that flew 15,000 km home

Forest officials in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh found an injured Eurasian Griffon vulture in January 2025. The bird was weak and unable to fly, and it took weeks of medical care to stabilise it.

When the vulture was released in March, the hope was simply that it would recover well. Instead, the bird went on to travel more than 15,000 km over the next few months, crossing several countries and reaching Kazakhstan before returning to India.

With a wingspan of nearly 2.8 metres, the species is built for long-distance flight. Yet this journey felt special because it showed what becomes possible when an injured animal gets the chance to heal fully.

3. Kerala forester calms a king cobra in 6 minutes

On 6 July 2025, Kerala forest officer G S Roshni reached Peppara sanctuary for a call that many would hesitate to answer — a 14–16 ft king cobra weighing nearly 20 kg. She stepped into a shallow stream with only a snake hook, a sack, and a steady voice, gently guiding the snake towards containment. Within six measured minutes, the cobra slipped into the sack, calm enough for her to release it safely back into the wild.

Roshni has spent eight years rescuing snakes across the state, becoming Kerala’s only certified female snake catcher. She has handled more than 800 snakes in this time, from spectacled cobras to 55 kg pythons, and she now leads the Rapid Response Team in Trivandrum.

This rescue stood out because her composure eased a frightened crowd and reminded people that expertise grows through patience, consistency, and trust — even in moments that test every instinct.

4. A rescue centre that has saved over 40,000 wild lives  

Since 1999, the People For Animals (PFA) Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Wardha has grown into one of India’s most trusted wildlife-care facilities. Set on 25 acres, the centre works closely with the Maharashtra Forest Department and has treated more than 40,000 animals, including tigers, leopards, sloth bears, pangolins and endangered birds.

Their team handles everything from emergency rescues to long-term recovery, supported by a dedicated operation theatre, diagnostic tools, wildlife ambulances, tranquilising equipment and species-specific enclosures. They also assist with rewilding projects, conflict-mitigation efforts and cases involving trafficked animals.

5. A Delhi school learns a lesson in coexistence

During the monsoon rains in South Delhi, staff at Kendriya Vidyalaya, NMR, found a large snake coiled inside their storeroom. Instead of letting panic take over, the school reached out to Wildlife SOS, whose team arrived within minutes. 

The rescuers identified the snake as a non-venomous Indian rat snake, secured it safely, conducted a quick health check, and released it back into suitable habitat.

Indian rat snakes are harmless and play an important role in controlling rodent populations, yet they are often mistaken for venomous species. This rescue showed how calm responses and quick professional help can prevent harm on both sides, especially during the monsoon, when snakes seek dry spaces in schools and homes.