Female Sambar deer hit by vehicle in Pune, rescued

Speeding vehicle hit female Sambar deer near Vadkhal village in the Otur forest range of Pune district

A Sambar deer had a close brush with death after getting hit by a speeding vehicle on the Kalyan Nirmal Highway (NH-222) in Pune district on Monday.

A team of doctors from the Wildlife SOS treat the injured female Sambar deer on Kalyan Nirmal highway in Pune district on Tuesday. (HT PHOTO)

Wildlife SOS and officials from the forest department rushed to provide on-site treatment and the Sambar was later released back into the wild.

The incident occurred on the Kalyan Nirmal Highway (NH-222) near Vadkhal village, located in the Otur forest range of Pune district.

Wounded and in severe shock, the Sambar was found sitting on the side of the road by concerned passers-by. They immediately alerted the forest department who contacted Wildlife SOS for medical assistance.

Yogesh Ghodake, range forest officer, Otur, said, “Due to the quick intervention of the forest department and Wildlife SOS, the Sambar deer was able to receive timely help and safely return to the wild.”

Injured female Sambar could be four-year-old, according to the forest department. (HT PHOTO)

By the time a three-member team from Wildlife SOS joined the forest department, a huge crowd had gathered on the highway to catch a glimpse of the animal and take pictures of it on their cell phones. The forest officers immediately stepped up to control the crowd while Wildlife SOS veterinarian Dr Nikhil Bangar provided on-site treatment to the injured deer.

Dr. Nikhil Bangar, wildlife veterinary officer, Wildlife SOS, said, “The Sambar was in a state of shock and was unable to move, so we administered fluid therapy to help her regain strength. Fortunately, the deer had not sustained any severe injuries and we provided topical treatment for minor abrasions on the body. On recovering from the stressful ordeal, we diverted her towards the green patch on the side of the road.”

Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder and CEO, Wildlife SOS, said, “It is not uncommon for us to receive rescue calls where an unsuspecting animal has been injured due to negligent or rash driving. Such callousness not only puts the life of the animal at risk but also poses a threat to the safety of humans. However, we are glad to see that more and more people are making a conscious decision to help out animals in distress.”

The Sambar (Rusa unicolor) is a large deer native to the Indian subcontinent, southern China and Southeast Asia. Male sambar has unique stout and rugged antlers that are typically up to 110 centimetres long in adult individuals.

Over the years, the Sambar population in the wild has been threatened due to loss of habitat and poaching, making them a vulnerable species under the IUCN Red Data List.

This species is also protected under Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.