Ofer was rescued by a shepherd and examined at the Safari Animal Hospital/Photo: Safari Spokesperson
An unusual event took place last week in the Judean Desert area, when two shepherds noticed a group of stray dogs barking and attacking a small animal.
The shepherds, Mahmoud and Ibrahim approached, and immediately recognized that it was an injured Ofer.
With great courage, they kept the aggressive dogs away from Ofer, collected him and asked their brothers to call the hotline of the Nature and Parks Authority for help.
Muhammad Ahmed Isa Muhammad, the brothers of the shepherds, said: "My brothers were in the field with their flock of sheep and saw dogs they did not know, as soon as they realized that these dogs were attacking the sheep - they immediately rescued him and brought him with them to me. I have a good relationship with The Nature and Parks Authority and I knew the local inspector, so I called to get help from him."
The dogs attacked, and they immediately rescued him.
Ofer, shepherd and RTG inspector/Nature and Parks Authority
The calf receives treatment at the safari, but has been "sealed" and will not be able to return to its mother/safari barge
so cute
Ofer at the Safari Live Hospital/Safari barges
"He was given fluids and then started feeding with milk substitutes"
Eran Kruzel, an inspector at the Nature and Parks Authority: "I received a call from the authority's inspector from the southern district, he said that shepherds found an abandoned Ofer in a field. After investigating the circumstances, it was a very young Ofer - a few days old. Apparently his mother deer went to eat and in her absence the stray dogs attacked him. Most In these cases, we ask people not to touch abandoned ferrets, usually the mother will return to them, but if we touch them - she will not come near and destroy them. The shepherd handed the ferrets over to us, and after an inspection in the field, we realized that he could not be returned to his mother, and it was decided that in order to save him and return him to nature, he should be transferred to further treatment at home The wildlife hospital at the Ramat Gan Safari. At the hospital, Ofer was examined and he was found to be healthy and normal, he was given fluids and then started feeding with milk substitutes."
The hospital informed that it is a sad story to see Ofer separated from his mother, but because of the immediate danger to his life from the stray dogs - there was no choice."
Amos Sabah, Yosh District Ecologist at the Nature and Parks Authority: "This is the beginning of the deer's calving period, we will go and see more And more offals in the wild. One of the main problems we at the Authority face is that good-hearted and well-intentioned people see offals, certain that they are abandoned, and take them in for treatment. This act cuts the fate of the offals, as the chances of a offals surviving after being taken from the wild are low. The offals are cared for by humans and their minds, therefore in many cases he will be forced to grow up in captivity for his entire life. We really ask people to stay away from the sheep, the mother is usually around. In the case in question there was a real danger from the stray dogs and the shepherd had no choice, but the rule of thumb is to stay away."
"It is a sad story to see Ofer separated from his mother"/Safari spokeswoman
The danger of extinction still hovers
The deer population in Israel is stable today and the number of individuals is estimated at several thousand, but the danger of extinction still hovers over them.
The deer's calving season begins in winter and lasts until spring.
Towards the end of the pregnancy, the female separates from the herd and gives birth to one young, open-eyed and covered in fur.
In his first days the calf is unable to accompany his mother, he remains in hiding, lying on the ground and relying on his camouflage.
The mother feeds in the pasture and comes from time to time to nurse him and then leaves again.
She often stays nearby and watches over him closely.
In the spring, there is a nature conservation month, which takes place every year, during which the public is given a glimpse of nature conservation efforts in the country.
If you come across an injured wild animal - please contact the Nature and Parks Authority hotline, who will take care of collecting and treating the animal.
You can contact us at the number: *3639
More on the same topic:
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Ofer
Deer
Seal