Firefighters rescue deer trapped in frozen pond
Published: January 23, 2007
A young deer has Langford firefighters to thank for rescuing him from a frozen pond and a hungry bald eagle at the Bear Mountain golf course yesterday.
Bear Mountain staff noticed about 11 a.m. that the year-old buck had fallen through the ice on the pond near the 12th hole.
There were no tracks evident on the fresh snow near the pond, so the buck must may have gone through the ice 12 hours before, said Langford fire chief Bob Beckett.
A blue heron was standing on the ice by the deer.
Firefighter Steve Adams was the first to reach the deer, and the animal gave out a plaintive cry, said Beckett.
“Steve started to talk to it and very gently stroked its head and scratched its ear. The deer seemed to settle down and then collapsed.”
Another firefighter cradled the deer in his arms and others dragged the two to shore.
“Then we took off our coats and put the deer in the coats and covered him up,” said Beckett.
Rescue seemed to happen in the nick of time, he said. “There was an eagle that had apparently tried to peck at its tail,” said Beckett.
“There was a blue heron that flew in when we arrived and stayed with the deer while our guys went out and secured it. … I’d like to think that the heron was there to give the deer some comfort and assurance that help was on its way.”
Veterinarian Chris Collis of Glenview Animal Hospital assessed the deer and determined no bones had been broken. The animal was taken to the clinic for treatment for hypothermia.
It will likely then be transferred to Wild ARC animal rehabilitation centre in Metchosin in preparation for release, Beckett said.
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