WATCH: Park rangers risk their lives to free cheetah from harness in Fota Wildlife Park

Two park rangers risked life and limb to rescue a cheetah that got its paw caught on a feeding line at Fota Wildlife Park - and all using a net, a big brush and what appears to have been a coat.

The duo came to the aid of the stricken animal at around 3pm today during the regular 'Cheetah's Run' event at the wildlife park, writes Noel Baker of the Irish Examiner.

During the daily event, one of the most popular visitor attractions at Fota, cheetahs are fed by a mechanised pulley, which drags their feed - typically an animal carcass suspended from a harness or hook - across the enclosure.

It encourages the animals to run and chase their food as they have to jump to catch it.

However, today's version hit a snag - literally, in the case of a front paw.

Visitors to the wildlife park watched on as the two park rangers, armed with what onlookers described as a brush and a coat, had to enter the enclosure to rescue the trapped animal, which was clearly distressed.

The coat was placed over the animal's head and the rangers managed to free the animal after a few minutes. Neither ranger was injured.

Our video footage shows the cheetah trying in vain to free itself from the harness and hurtling from side-to-side, with the rangers carefully subduing the animal before freeing it.

Management at Fota have released a statement on the incident saying a vet examined the animal which was said to be fine.

They said: "There was an incident on the Cheetah Run today where the cheetah’s claw got caught on the lure. It is the first incident of its kind on the Cheetah Run.

"The cheetah was freed by the animal staff. The vet examined the cheetah and found no cuts or bruises and said the cheetah seemed fine. There was no injury to staff or cheetah during this incident.

"The Cheetah Run was established 16 years ago and is part of the behavioural enrichment programme for cheetahs at Fota Wildlife Park."

They said more than 200 cheetah cubs have been born in the wildlife park since 1985 under its successful breeding programme.

The Cheetah Run is the country's first and only such attraction, and according to the park's webpage: "Fota’s Cheetahs are fed chicken, rabbit or horsemeat. Rabbit tends to be their favourite, with richer horsemeat given out once a week."