A report received from East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service (WRAS) about a horrific, but not isolated, incidence of a double deer entanglement. Such incidents can – and do – result in fatalities and demonstrate why the residents of Sussex value the charity, WRAS, so highly.
Here’s the full report received from Trevor Weeks, MBE, Founder and Operations Director
On Thursday, October 17th, 2024, East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service received a call regarding a fallow buck at Weirwood Reservoir in Forest Row. This buck was discovered with its antlers entangled with those of another deer, which unfortunately had already passed away.
Every year, WRAS handles numerous cases of deer antler entanglements; however, only one or two involve two deer becoming tied together during the rutting season. This unusual occurrence typically happens when a buck breaks free from a rope entanglement with rope still attached to its antlers or if someone cuts a deer free, hoping the rope will simply fall away. Sadly, these ropes are often too tightly secured to come off easily. During the autumn rut, deer can become intertwined, and it is common for one of the pair to die from stress, leaving the surviving deer to drag the deceased body.
The disturbed mud on the ground indicated it had been struggling for quite some time.
East Sussex WRAS has a skilled team of rescuers trained to handle such precarious situations, which can be dangerous and potentially lead to serious injury or death.
Two veterinary ambulances and a team of five rescuers were dispatched to the scene, led by Trevor Weeks MBE, the founder of WRAS and an experienced rescuer. “This rescue presented challenges; although the deer was in a confined space, navigating through the tall vegetation was challenging as we didn’t want to get too close, where the deer could swing and injure us. Patience was key in choosing the right moment to approach. The presence of the dead deer further complicated the situation, limiting us to one main person doing the cutting. The rope was old and tightly compacted, so we had to use wire rope cutters to remove it,” shared Trevor.
Deer are particularly sensitive animals that experience stress easily. While all wildlife can suffer from capture myopathy, deer are especially susceptible. This condition leads to internal chemical changes that can cause irreversible damage and eventually result in a heart attack. Using sedation in such cases can be problematic, as it may worsen the effects of capture myopathy. As soon as rescuers start their approach they have a critical 30-minute window to resolve the situation before the deer is likely to suffer a heart attack.
This rescue took nine minutes, slightly longer than the usual five, due to the challenging environment.
“The deer was more resilient than we anticipated and even tried to pull me into the vegetation at one point. Thankfully, Daryl and I managed to maintain control. Releasing the deer is risky, as a stressed and frightened deer can be dangerous, so this must be done carefully,” added Trevor.
Once freed, the deer leaped over the vegetation, paused to look back at the rescuers, and then trotted away.
Watch a video of the full rescue
East Sussex WRAS relies entirely on donations and needs public support to continue carrying out such vital rescues.
East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service
Reg charty 1108880
Office: 01825-873003 Ext300
Rescue Line: 0300-10-26-999
Registered with the Fundraising Regulator