Wildlife rescuers in Goa are urging for action to be taken to control the stray dog population following an attack on a sambar deer calf by feral dogs in Usgao, Ponda. The injured calf was discovered on Thursday.
The sambar deer, which is the largest deer species in India, plays a vital role in maintaining the ecosystem and supporting carnivores such as tigers. However, it has been classified as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List since 2008 due to excessive hunting and habitat exploitation.
Charan Desai, a rescuer, highlighted the threat posed to various wildlife by the uncontrolled stray dog population in Goa. Desai emphasized the need for strict measures, precautions, and awareness to manage their numbers.
Initially mistaken for a young stray cow calf by locals who found it, the sambar calf was actually attacked and wounded by the stray dogs. Once the locals realized it was a sambar deer calf, they immediately contacted the rescuers, Ankeet Gaude and Madhuraj Naik, who promptly came to the scene and rescued the calf.
Although the rescuers attempted to reach forest department officials, they were unable to make contact as it was a public holiday. Instead, they cared for the calf, nourishing it with diluted milk and providing overnight support. The following day, they transported it to the Animal Husbandry Hospital in Curti, Ponda.
Following essential treatment and anti-rabies vaccination, the deer calf was transferred to the Bondla zoological park for further care.
During a recent WWF Goa event, Pradip Sarmokadam, the member secretary of the Goa State Biodiversity Board, highlighted the significant increase in the feral dog population due to the issue of garbage. He also noted that certain ground-nesting bird species have been losing their natural habitats in Goa due to the menace of stray dogs.