A young deer at Shanghai Jiao Tong University suffered a severe injury to its hind leg, with a chunk of flesh bitten off. A veterinarian speculates that the deer may have been attacked by a group of animals.

On December 7, a netizen posted on a social media platform claiming that there were casualties among the deer in the ecological forest of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Source: Xiaohongshu

Recently, an incident involving three “popular” deer in the ecological forest of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, suspected to have been attacked by animals, resulting in one death and one injury, has drawn attention. Regarding the latest condition of the injured deer, a veterinarian from a related pet hospital stated on December 9 to The Paper (www.thepaper.cn) that the deer is currently not in life-threatening condition, but it has multiple injuries on its hind legs and signs of skin necrosis, which “may have been caused by a group attack from many animals.”

According to previous reports by The Paper, on December 7, the deer, which had been in the ecological forest of Shanghai Jiao Tong University for over a month, were found dead and injured. The university’s logistics support center responded on the campus forum that “the deer were suspected to have been attacked by wild animals, specifically raccoons.” In response, several scholars concerned about wildlife believe that the likelihood of raccoons directly killing the deer is low, and further investigation is needed.

The deer park at Shanghai Jiao Tong University is open as usual, and on December 9, visitors interacted with the three deer. Except for the marked images, all photos in this article are from The Paper reporter Li Sicong.

On December 9, a reporter visited the ecological forest of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, where the deer park was open, and the three deer were roaming and interacting with visitors. There was also an added Beagle, which attracted the attention of onlookers. Staff on site informed the reporter that two of the three deer were newly introduced from a breeding base on December 8.

Deer farmer Mr. Hong revealed that the injuries and deaths of the deer were discovered by Shanghai Jiao Tong University students on the morning of December 7. When he arrived at the scene, one deer was lying on the ground, while the other two were standing. “The scene was similar to the images circulating online; one deer was dead on the ground, and the other two were standing, but one had a large chunk of flesh bitten off its hind leg, and a large patch of fur was torn from its chest,” Mr. Hong said.

On that day, Mr. Hong buried the deceased deer and took the injured one to a pet hospital. A student from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, who goes by the pseudonym Gu Xia, is also a volunteer at the ecological forest’s deer park, mainly maintaining order and assisting the caretakers. He stated, “At that time, there were no cameras in the deer park, making it difficult to determine which animal attacked the deer.”

After the incident involving the deer, the farmer and volunteers inspected the deer park for clues regarding the injuries and deaths, discovering signs of animals digging under the iron fence. They also found multiple deformations in the iron fence, speculating that the deer were cornered and struggled to escape from the attacking animals. “You can imagine how desperate it must have been at that moment,” Gu Xia said. The Beagle, named “Dandan,” was brought in to guard the deer park on the day the injuries occurred and has officially started its duties. At night, the deer rest in a wooden house within the park, while “Dandan” patrols outside.

The reporter observed on-site that the Beagle was noticeably smaller than the deer and was still adapting to the unfamiliar environment. Additionally, gaps at the bottom of the iron fence have been blocked with iron mesh, and multiple cameras have been installed on nearby trees and fences.

What is the condition of the injured deer? On the same day, The Paper’s reporter found the injured deer at a pet hospital on Minhang Urban Road. The veterinarian stated that the deer had multiple injuries on its hind legs, signs of skin necrosis, and fluid dripping. The most severe injury was on the right hind leg, which had a cavity and torn muscles. Additionally, there was a significant tear in the chest wall. Currently, antibiotics are being administered daily to prevent infection, and the deer primarily relies on the other three limbs for support while walking, showing signs of limping.

The injured deer, wearing a cone to prevent it from licking its wounds and causing infection, was observed by the veterinarian. “You can see that the deer has many wounds, which may have resulted from a group attack by multiple animals,” the veterinarian told The Paper. “Currently, the injured deer is not in life-threatening condition, but we cannot guarantee that the right hind leg will regain its previous functionality.”