Kaziranga, January 14, 2016: After having strayed into human habitations, two hog deer were rescued, treated and released in the Kaziranga National Park by the IFAW-WTI run Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) team at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) in Assam. These deer were rescued by villagers who handed them over to MVS team for further care.

On January 9, 2015, the team received a call about a sub-adult female hog deer that had been rescued by villagers after it had entered Palashbari in Bokakhat, Assam. Soon after the animal was handed over, the MVS team did a thorough investigation and found that it had a massive ‘Hypoderma’ larvae infestation on vertebral column and thigh regions where nodules form under the skin. The IFAW-WTI veterinarian also observed an injury in the left hind leg and treatment was immediately provided. After two days of stay at CWRC, the animal recovered and was released in Agoratoli Forest Range of Kaziranga on January 11, 2015.

Incidentally, two days after its release, another sub-adult male hog deer was rescued from Bejgaon near Agoratoli on January 13. This deer had also strayed into human habitation and was rescued by the villagers of Bejgaon who handed it over to CWRC MVS team on January 13, 2015. On investigation, the team found that the animal too had ‘Hypoderma’ larvae infestation. The deer was treated and released in Kaziranga National Park the same day by the IFAW-WTI veterinarians — Dr Daoharu Baro and Dr Tarique Anwar.

After witnessing two rescue cases of ‘Hypoderma’ larvae infestation in such a short span, CWRC veterinarian Dr Panjit Basumatary noted that this condition could have been the cause of displacement.