News
Drought drives deer to poachers’ trap
Deer and other wild animals hit by the prolonged drought in Sri Lanka’s northern half are increasingly becoming easy prey to poachers, a veterinary surgeon, who is looking after animals rescued from hunters’ traps, has said.
Captive deer at the Wildlife Vet Office
Dr Chandana Jayasinghe, the state veterinary surgeon in charged of the North Western Province, said hunters had set up traps near tanks that still held some water, expecting deer, wild boar and other animals in search of water to show up.
“When the mother deer is hunted, the fawns flee into the thicket for safety. Often the mother deer falls into the trap. Yet there are times when even the young ones become hunters’ prey,” he said, adding that there was a large presence of hunters during the drought.
Dr. Jayasinghe said wildlife officials had rescued several animals, including rare deer species. They are being looked after at the Pandulagama Veterinary office.
He said the worst affected are the deer. When the mother deer is hunted or killed, there is a need to feed the baby deer. The responsibility falls on the Wildlife Department.
“The deer being looked after at the Vet Office are lucky, for they are safe now. A spotted deer that managed to free itself from a trap was rescued by Wildlife officials and sent to a Vet Office. It is still in a critical condition,” he said.
