A runaway deer died during a rescue operation in Bandar Sri Suriaman after evading capture for hours
SEREMBAN: Residents of Suriaman 2B housing estate in Bandar Sri Suriaman, here, experienced an unusual occurrence, today, when a male sambar deer appeared near their neighborhood futsal court on Monday morning.
The animal was first spotted around 10am near the playground area, startling local residents who had never encountered such wildlife in their community.
Speaking to theSun, M. Anumanthan, a member of the Residents Association Committee, expressed his astonishment at seeing a deer within the housing estate for the first time.
Following the sighting, residents immediately contacted the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan), who redirected them to the Civil Defence Force.
Civil Defence Department (JPA) operations officer Aminudin Suhaimi and his team arrived at the scene promptly after receiving the call at 10am. However, capturing the deer proved more challenging than anticipated.
The animal evaded the rescue team throughout the housing estate, darting through back lanes and falling into drainage ditches. The deer repeatedly jumped over vegetation and concealed itself in bushes, making the operation particularly difficult.
After approximately 90 minutes of pursuit, the team finally cornered the deer in a back lane. Rescue personnel blocked both ends of the narrow passage before using rope to secure the animal’s antlers and restrain its legs.
The extended chase resulted in injuries to the deer, with bleeding wounds visible on all four legs and blood stains on its antlers.
When Perhilitan officers arrived with a metal cage typically used for tapirs, the rescue team attempted to transfer the deer. Tragically, the animal had stopped breathing during the lifting process.
Both rescue personnel and residents attempted resuscitation by continuously applying chest compressions, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The deer had already died.
The owner of the deer, Mohd Nasri from Kampung Gadong Jaya arrived at 12.47pm to claim the deer, only to discover it had already perished.
He revealed that the animal had escaped from captivity nearly a month earlier and had been spotted roaming through several neighboring housing estates during that time.
Due to logistical difficulties in loading the carcass into the owner’s vehicle, it was transported to his nearby residence by the rescue team.
