A local story the equivalent of Disney’s Bambi occurred this past weekend in the Morne La Croix forest.
A deserted fawn was rescued by hikers from the Garden of Eden Adventure Tours and Camping hike leaders near the Arima/Blanchisseuse Road.
The fawn has since been named “Joey.”However, this story does not end with Bambi’s parents rushing to carry him off and nurture him.
In a brief interview, hike leader Doon Rampharay said their group were approaching an area known as Three Sprout on Sunday when they saw Joey walking around the edge of the pool at the waterfall.
“We crossed over the small waterfall and we heard the cries of what sounded like an animal,” Rampharay said.
He said they approached the fawn and he picked up the crying animal to have closer look to see if it was hurt. With nothing apparently wrong with the animal, the group decided to leave it there to give his mother time to return. Later that evening, however, Doon and his son, Kern, returned to the forest to check on the animal.
“We went back and it was still there. The mother would not leave that fawn for that length of time. It means something happen to the mother. He made some noise, calling for mother,” he said.
Rampharay said the area was frequented by hunters so they decided to take the animal home.
“I thought all kind of things. He don’t have a parent and was at a risk and was vulnerable. I grow up in the bush with animals. The people who came with me, they usually hike and try to preserve the environment,” he said.
Joey was placed in a baby pouch bag and they made their way back out the forest.
Rampharay said Joey was hungry and he attempted to give him paw paws and bananas, which he did not enjoy.
“He wasn’t afraid or looking for comfort. I am an outdoors person. We see snakes, birds, animals all the time. I love nature and I try to protect it,” he said.
Joey was put in a box in Rampharay’s bedroom to get a rest Sunday night.
“He didn’t make a sound and slept through the night. In the morning when he woke up, he got up and roamed around the house like he lived here. He was very comfortable.”
Rampharay said the group Wildlife and Environment Protection of T&T (WEPTT) was contacted yesterday and retrieved Joey who will be placed in foster care with some other deers they had rescued.
“He will be with a surrogate mother who will try her best to keep him alive. I named him Joey, like a baby kangaroo. His ears were perked up.”
Kristopher Rattansingh, one of the director’s at WEPTT, said yesterday that Joey was doing well.
“He was a little shaken up but doing well. They did the right thing in contacting us and after we found out it was abandoned,” he said.