Barking Deer Rescued in Odisha: A Tale of Wildlife Protection

Rescue Operation in Ganjam District

In a significant wildlife rescue operation, forest officials saved a two-month-old barking deer, also known as Indian muntjac, from a residence in the Ganjam district of Odisha, as reported on Saturday.

The rescue took place on Friday afternoon in Gunakhala, a secluded village located within the Badagada forest range of the Ghumusar South forest division.

During the operation, authorities also confiscated two homemade firearms, a knife, and some explosives from the premises.

Following a tip-off, the forest team conducted a raid that led to the successful rescue of the fawn, which is currently receiving care at the veterinary hospital in Sorada. According to Vipasha Parul, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) for Ghumusar South, the fawn will be released back into a suitable environment once it has recovered.

The homeowner, however, escaped during the raid, prompting the DFO to announce that efforts are underway to locate him. A case has been filed against the individual under the Wildlife Protection Act.

The barking deer is classified as a protected species under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

The DFO expressed concerns that the homeowner may be involved in wildlife poaching, utilizing firearms and other tools to hunt animals in the forest.

Officials suspect that the rescued fawn may have been captured by the suspect with the intent to sell its skin and meat once it matured.