Wildlife specialists, veterinarians and volunteers worked through the night on Sunday to save deer and other animals stranded by rising floodwater at a private park in Bangkok.
Ten deer were rescued, one was undergoing treatment and nine had died, according to Chanya Tamada, president of Little Paws Adoption Center.
Chanya said the rescue operation involved teams from Huai Sai Wildlife Park, the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT), Siam Amazing Park and veterinary specialists.
The teams worked to move the animals to safety while trying to minimise further losses.
Chanya called for help to rescue the animals on Sunday, saying she hoped they could be saved before the end of the night. She also appealed for 500 bales of hay, a 10-wheel truck and cages for birds, rabbits and chickens.
At 3:30am on Monday, she reported that the day's rescue operation had ended.
“We all did our very best, and we are deeply saddened by the lives we could not save in time,” she said.
The rescue operation was complicated by deep floodwater, with some deer left with only their heads above the water.
Chanya said the animals were extremely weak after being immersed in water for hours.
At about 3am on Monday, she posted on her Facebook page that an attempt to move one of the deer had to be abandoned after it became frightened when rescuers brought sandbags into the area. A veterinarian accompanying the team warned that the animal was in poor condition and could suffer muscle breakdown and shock.
Chanya said the team decided to leave the sandbags at the entrance to the park and hoped park staff could take them inside to help the deer survive until morning. She said the rescue team planned to return to continue the operation.
The plight of the animals came to light after a Facebook user, Nithiwan Promnukrauh, appealed for veterinarians, particularly wildlife specialists, to help move the stranded deer. She said she had already taken one deer for treatment.
Chanya thanked members of the public, volunteers and various agencies that joined the rescue effort, saying she was deeply moved by the support from people who had never met her or the team.
She also called on businesses that keep animals, including zoos, animal cafes and other facilities, to have clear emergency plans and measures in place, as well as veterinary teams ready to respond.
“Caring for animals, especially wildlife, is a very serious responsibility,” she said, stressing that facilities should be prepared to move and rescue animals quickly and safely during emergencies such as flooding.
Main photo by Nithiwan Promnukrauh FB
