A member of the Paraguayan presidential guard died Tuesday, January 4, gored by a deer in the gardens of the official residence of President Mario Abdo Benitez, an army spokesman said.
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The Presidential Palace covers more than 10 hectares near the center of Asuncion and is home to several native species, including rheas, macaws, a South American tapir, as well as deer. "
The security camera shows that (the sergeant) enters the area where these animals are and performs an action (raises his hand) which makes the deer react
," explained Colonel Victor Urdapilleta.
The director of wildlife at the Department of the Environment said the deer were part of a litter raised on a government ranch.
Frederic Bauer admitted that "
it is not appropriate to have exotic animals in captivity
" but "
there is no regulation
", he defended.
He assured that officials of the presidential palace had consulted the Ministry of the Environment before including deer in the gardens of the residence.