Courageous deer survives multiple bullets and finds new home in Hua Hin

Brave deer survived multiple poachers’ bullets, photo by WFFT/Emily Urfer.

A courageous deer, who endured multiple gunshot wounds inflicted by poachers, has been relocated to a rescue centre in Hua Hin. Park rangers found the injured Sambar deer in Thailand’s Kaeng Krachan National Park, Hua Hin Today reported. The park borders the Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces.

Officials from the Department of National Parks sought help from the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) for urgent veterinary care. After examining the courageous deer, the WFFT veterinary team found several bullet fragments in the deer’s leg, which had shattered the bone.

To save her life, the team had to amputate her heavily-injured leg, leaving her unable to return to the wild. The deer, now named Sandee, has found a new home at the WFFT Wildlife Rescue Centre, where she can live her remaining days in safety alongside other rescued animals.

Sambar deer are large deer native to the Indian subcontinent, southern China, and Southeast Asia. They can be found throughout Thailand, including in protected areas such as national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Sambar deer are primarily herbivorous and feed on a variety of vegetation, including leaves, fruits, and grasses.

These deer play an important ecological role as seed dispersers and help to maintain forest ecosystems.

Despite their ecological importance, Sambar deer in Thailand are threatened. They are classified as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. They are facing a rapid decline in their wild populations due to hunting and poaching. They are often hunted for their meat, which is considered exotic and can fetch high prices on the black market.

The Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand has been actively rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife in Thailand since its founding in 2001. The foundation relies on donations to continue its work. To support the foundation, visit its website at www.wfft.org/donate.

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