This is the dramatic moment men on a boat reach down with a mat to support a drowning jaguar and then pull it closer to the shore and safety.

The rescue happened on Wednesday, 1st October, in the Rio Negro in Manaus, northern Brazil, a river that can stretch up to 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) wide at its broadest point with strong currents.

Video shows the exhausted animal clinging to the mat as it is guided slowly towards land.

The big cat had been spotted swimming for hours across the wide river before heading towards Ponta Negra Beach.

Witnesses said the jaguar looked disoriented and weak after struggling in the current.

At one point, the animal clung to a buoy attached to a pole, with police using it to keep the feline afloat until help arrived.

Rescue team saves jaguar which spent hours swimming in the Rio Negro in Manaus, Brazil, Oct. 1, 2025. The animal appeared disoriented and weak. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (Newsflash/NX)

The rescue mobilised agents from the Environmental Battalion, the Municipal Secretariat for Animal Protection and Defense, the Laiff Institute, and a local animal protection team.

After being pulled to shore, the jaguar received initial veterinary care.

Specialists are now evaluating its condition, and the animal may be reintroduced into the wild if recovery allows.

Authorities said the priority remains ensuring the jaguar’s full recovery before deciding whether it is released or taken to a specialist centre.

(Mike Leidig / newsX)