On Wednesday 7 October, the RSPCA and fire services were called to a farm in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, after a rarely seen Chinese water deer had been spotted at the bottom of an empty reservoir.<\/p>\n
The hole\u2019s steep walls were covered in plastic sheeting, and it was clear that the little deer would not be able to get out without the help of the rescue workers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis poor deer couldn\u2019t climb out of the hole and was completely stuck,\u201d says animal rescue officer John Woods, who contacted\u00a0Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service\u00a0for support. \u201cThe Chatteris and Dogsthorpe crew kindly attended and helped use their ladders to get into the reservoir and get the deer out.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe deer was active and well with no injuries and soon made a swift exit as soon as it had been freed,\u201d says Woods. \u201cNot even a nod, a wink or a polite thank you after all that effort!\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSeriously though, it\u2019s the highlight of our job being able to save and release animals back into the wild like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Watch: Chinese water deer rescued from farmer\u2019s reservoir. Credit: RSPCA<\/p>\n
Chinese water deer,<\/a> known for their diminutive size and distinctive tusks (rather than antlers<\/a>), are native to China and Korea.\u00a0After escaping from UK zoos in the 1800s and 1900s, they\u00a0are now found in several areas in southern England, including Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.<\/p>\n