QueenScoopalot
05-01-2005, 11:58 AM
http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=15453418&method=full&siteid=50061&headline=canine-friends-come-to-rescue-of-abandoned-bush-baby-deer-name_page.html
Canine friends come to rescue of abandoned bush baby deer
A GOLDEN retriever and a lurcher have become "foster parents" to one of the rarest deers in the world.
Retriever Kipper and Geoffrey took charge of the young fawn, called Mi-Lu, when its mother abandoned it in favour of its twin, under a bush at Knowsley Safari Park.
The fawns are the first ever twins of the rare Pere David Deer breed to be success-fully bred in captivity.
Penny Boyd, partner of park curator Nick Ellerton, said: "When their fawns are very young, Pere David Deer hide them in a ditch or under a bush to keep them safe.
"However, after things had run smoothly for a couple of days, the mother then only picked one of the babies up when she returned to collect them.
"By the time we realised what had happened and found the fawn, he was very cold."
The couple took the fawn home and eventually managed to warm him up after a nerve-racking 48 hours when they thought he may not survive.
It was as the fawn began to recover that the couple's two friendly dogs started taking a parental interest.
Ms Boyd said: "Fortunately, he's come on in leaps and bounds over the last few days with the help of our dogs, and he's now settling in well with his foster family, although our ultimate aim will be to return him to the herd when he's ready."
Pere David Deer are originally from the China swampland where they were discovered in 1865 by French explorer, Pere Armand David.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/4489437.stm
Click above for pics
:) :)
Canine friends come to rescue of abandoned bush baby deer
A GOLDEN retriever and a lurcher have become "foster parents" to one of the rarest deers in the world.
Retriever Kipper and Geoffrey took charge of the young fawn, called Mi-Lu, when its mother abandoned it in favour of its twin, under a bush at Knowsley Safari Park.
The fawns are the first ever twins of the rare Pere David Deer breed to be success-fully bred in captivity.
Penny Boyd, partner of park curator Nick Ellerton, said: "When their fawns are very young, Pere David Deer hide them in a ditch or under a bush to keep them safe.
"However, after things had run smoothly for a couple of days, the mother then only picked one of the babies up when she returned to collect them.
"By the time we realised what had happened and found the fawn, he was very cold."
The couple took the fawn home and eventually managed to warm him up after a nerve-racking 48 hours when they thought he may not survive.
It was as the fawn began to recover that the couple's two friendly dogs started taking a parental interest.
Ms Boyd said: "Fortunately, he's come on in leaps and bounds over the last few days with the help of our dogs, and he's now settling in well with his foster family, although our ultimate aim will be to return him to the herd when he's ready."
Pere David Deer are originally from the China swampland where they were discovered in 1865 by French explorer, Pere Armand David.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/4489437.stm
Click above for pics
:) :)