Wild Deer chased by a dog pack dies near Norzin Lam

Yesterday, around 9 am, a mob gathered near the back gate of the Druk Punjab National Bank, to watch a deer lying in cold blood.

The female barking deer, which was about the age of six, was suspected to have come from the Motithang area.

The Head of Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre for animals, Kuenzang Gyeltshen said, “A pack of stray dogs had chased the deer into the town area after which the deer in desperation had jumped from a two storied building.”

Kuenzang Gyeltshen said by the time they reached the spot the deer was almost dying but had they been alerted 10 minutes earlier they may have been able to rescue it.

The deer had suffered a fracture in its front leg, three hoofs had come out, and there were abrasions on its back and abdomen.

The deer died just as the rescue team was taking it to their vehicle,

“Such incidents of deer being chased by dogs have happened before. The deer died due to the injuries and bleeding as the common feature of deer is that it cannot survive stress,” said Kuenzang Gyeltshen.

Kuenzang said that as of now the shortcomings of dealing with wildlife in such cases is that there are no ambulances and a separate clinic. “We do not even have the basic facilities and there are only three locally trained staff involved in the rescue and rehab of wild animals”, said Kuenzang Gyeltshen.

The Chief Forest Officer of the Wildlife Conservation Division, Sonam Wangchuk said that this case could be an issue of displacement of wildlife habitat.

Sonam Wangchuk said deer are normally a prey species and so whenever they are chased they become insecure and as a result move closer to human habitation, not knowing the dangers that lie on the other side.

There have been past incidents where eye witnesses have reported seeing other deer chased by dogs to the edge of Thimchu where the deer enters the river waters to escape the dogs even in freezing winter.