Pregnant hit-and-run animal victim survives major injuries

(photo: Andrew Ingram)

A pregnant "Bambi-like" grysbok struck by a car has lived to see another day - thanks to the kindness of a passing motorist who bothered to stop. The grysbok was badly injured after being hit by a car on Beach Road near Melkbosstrand.

"We were on our way home from visiting friends m Melkbosstrand when we saw an animal in the road," said John Bacon of Table View. He was travelling with his fiance and a friend just after dark. They stopped to pull the animal off the road, and discovered a grysbok, seriously injured but still alive.

They took it straight to vet Gary Bogner at Sunset Beach. He found the little buck had wounds to its head, lung contusions, cuts on its legs and a bloated stomach. He doubted it would live, but worked on it until 2am. Dr Bogner told Mr Bacon that he did not expect her to live as she was in such a bad state. But he was pleasantly surprised to see the bokkie doing well in the morning.

"I couldn't believe it - this morning she was bright and up." Dr Bogner said he could feel the foetus inside the grysbok, but was unable to say how old it was. As the mother had not aborted it, as was sometimes the case after a serious shock or car accident, it seemed that all was well with mother and child.

Dr Bogner said the little buck looked like his childhood memories of Bambi. He was not sure what would happen to the animal once it had recovered, but said he would be loath to put it back where it came from as it could be hit by another car.

"The rapid development in the area is threatening the habitat of wild creatures here - and there are a lot more here than you would think." Mr Bacon said: "People shouldn't just knock down animals and drive away."

- Andrea Botha,
Staff Reporter