Deer drowning in river amid rainrescued after tranquilliser shot

Mumbai: A deer which had somehow found itself struggling to stay afloat in a river at Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivli, was rescued amid pouring rain a few days ago. Almost drowning and unable to extricate itself out of the whirlpool-like swirling waters, a few people spotted the deer which was crying out as if in fear on Tuesday.
A rescue team from the national park brought the deer out after tranquillising it.The deer was carried onto the bank of the river and it was later set free.
The depth of the water near Shanti Van, where the deer had been spotted, had touched more than 4 feet when the rescue team reached the spot, said Dr Vinaya Jangle, veterinarian at Sanjay Gandhi National Park. The rescuers split up into two teams -- while one group stood on the banks of the river, the other group waded in the waters, to get the deer out.
But human presence around it naturally unnerved the timid animal which tried to drift farther where the water level was even deeper, Dr Jangle said, adding that the rescuers in the river then moved in the opposite direction, away from where the deer was.
By this time, the veterinarian waiting on the banks had kept a tranquillizer dart ready to knock the deer unconscious so that it could be brought out of the water, and moved to safety.
“In an ideal situation, tranquillizing an animal when it is in the water is not advisable… the animal can flop over due to the effect of the tranquillizer, and as it can cause drowning,” Dr Jangle pointed out. “But in this case, we had no other option to save the deer so we decided to go ahead with it after alerting our volunteers waiting in the water to be ready.”
No sooner had the shot been administered than the rescue team lying in wait in the water hurriedly moved towards the deer just as it was passing out. A rope was lowered from those waiting on the banks and the by-now unconscious deer was brought out of the waters.
But for a few minor bruises on its body, the deer was lifted out of the river safely. Soon after it had regained consciousness, the deer was released.