ABU DHABI // Two fallow deer have died from heat exhaustion, sparking renewed calls from veterinarians and wildlife experts against the import of exotic animals to the UAE.
A midday rescue on Sunday failed to save one deer, while the other was dead when it was found.
“These deer aren’t native to the UAE. They were imported and unaccustomed to the heat,” said South African Ronel Barcellos, a director of the Abu Dhabi Wildlife Centre.
“Having to go through the trauma of being captured, it just pushed them over the edge.”
The centre received a report about 2pm on Sunday of a buck running around Khalifa City, near the Masdar City gate, and Mrs Barcellos sent a team to assist in the rescue.
“When they had arrived at that point the deer was already completely heat-stressed,” she said. “The police had been tracking him for the better part of two hours when my staff and husband arrived.”
Marcelo Barcellos and employees of the centre met Abu Dhabi Police, who had been trying to catch the buck since receiving a call from residents.
The deer evaded the team, running the length of the Masdar fence to the residential area in Khalifa City. The rescue team followed the escaped animal for an hour before finally cornering it with the help of police.
“It was running in the streets, cars driving past it. We kept trying to block him off but he kept escaping,” said Mr Barcellos, a Brazilian who has lived in Abu Dhabi for 14 years.
“Eventually we were able to isolate him from an escape and then I was able to get to the deer and grab it by the antlers to catch it.”
The deer was immediately given water and kept cool while being driven to the Abu Dhabi Wildlife Centre.
“During the night he unfortunately died,” Mrs Barcellos said. “They get so stressed in the middle of the day from the heat and all the chasing, so he probably died from heat failure.”
The other deer, a female fawn, was reported to the centre after a Masdar City security guard found it dead near the solar centre.
“These animals’ body designs are not meant to be able to withstand this intense heat and humidity,” said Dr Fadi Daoud, a veterinarian of 15 years.
He said he saw cases of overheating and dehydration almost every week during the summer in his clinic at the Australian Veterinarian hospital.
“It’s not only the animals that are not accustomed to this weather that are in danger,” Dr Daoud said. “All animals are in danger of this. Just last week I saw a case that was too late to save.
“It can happen to any animal, even by just going for a walk or playing with your dog. As fast as 20 minutes and they could be done. It’s serious and I advise all pet owners to take the necessary precautions.”
He advised pet owners to look out for signs of dehydration and heat exhaustion. If the animal were in danger, he advised pouring water over it and taking it to a car with the air conditioner on full blast.
“Just listen to your animals and you’ll know how to take care of them,” Dr Daoud said.
Both deer had green tags in their ears. It is suspected that they were from a private ranch in the area.
Mrs Barcellos speculated that both deer escaped from a villa.
“Abu Dhabi Wildlife Centre has rescued quite a lot of animals that have escaped and we’ve rescued fallow deer in the past from the same area,” she said.
She said the centre regularly received calls of exotic animal.
“We’ve rescued lions in Al Khalidya area, baboons, cheetahs, other deer,” Mrs Barcellos said. “Occasionally animals pop up here and there that are not supposed to be where they are.
“I’m not a supporter of people keeping these kinds of animals in a climate in which they don’t belong. I don’t think they should be kept as pets at all.”
nalwasmi@thenational.ae
