A one-month-old deer fawn rescued in Mirsarai after a dog chase highlights growing human-wildlife conflict as habitat loss and food scarcity push deer into populated areas.
A one-month-old deer fawn that became separated from its mother after being chased by dogs took shelter inside an abandoned pipe in the Mirsarai Economic Zone area before forest officials rescued it and returned it to the nearby forest, where its mother was waiting.
The incident took place on Wednesday afternoon at the CP intersection in the Mirsarai Economic Zone, Mirsarai Range officer Mohammad Nowshad said.
“The fawn had taken refuge inside an abandoned pipe after being chased by dogs into a populated area,” Nowshad told The Climate Watch. “We rescued it from the pipe after receiving information from a local security guard. Its frightened mother was waiting in the forest nearby. The fawn was later returned to her.”
He said a shortage of food had emerged in the forest beside the Mirsarai Economic Zone because embankment construction had stopped saline water from entering the area.
As a result, the remaining deer in the forest are often venturing into nearby localities in search of food and are coming under attack from local dogs, he said.
The latest incident came a day after an adult deer was caught by hunters after being attacked by dogs in the Muhuri Project area of Mirsarai on Tuesday morning.
The hunters later slaughtered and killed the deer, officials said.
