Trapped muntjac rescued from iron fence in Tai Wai

A red muntjac was rescued and returned to the countryside on Thursday morning after becoming trapped in an iron fence opposite a residential estate in Tai Wai.

A security guard at No. 8 Sha Tin Heights Road reported the incident at approximately 7.20 am.

Firefighters arrived at the scene and found the barking deer struggling in the fence with visible injuries. They quickly freed the animal, though traces of its blood were left on the fence after the rescue.

According to information from Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the red muntjac, also known as the barking deer, is Hong Kong's only native deer species. 

It is a mammal with a brown back and a white belly. Muntjacs prefer to hide in dense shrubs and are active during both day and night but are most active at dawn and dusk.

The AFCD reminds that muntjacs are extremely timid, and severe stress can lead to organ failure and death.  The public is advised that if they find an injured muntjac, they should retreat out of the animal's line of sight and refrain from touching it. 

The incident should be reported to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' 24-hour rescue hotline at 2711 1000 or the AFCD hotline at 1823 as soon as possible.