Wild animals are subject to all sorts of dangers, some of which are manmade.
And sometimes, those dangers are men themselves.
Rescue workers must fight diligently to save such innocent animals and every now and then, they have to react very, very quickly. Because many times, they have just moments to save a life.
Case in point:
Rescuers in Ecuador got a call about an injured baby jaguar, terrified and apparently unable to move. When the baby jaguar arrived at the vet’s, the doctors moved in close…and what they saw broke their hearts.
They knew they’d have to operate immediately because the baby jaguar was a tetraplegic; i.e., she was unable to move any of her legs.
And why?
Well, when the doctors did an X-Ray, they found something awful.
There were no fewer than 18 bullets lodged inside of her body. The fact that she was alive at all was amazing.
Veronica Cabrera, a veterinary student at San Francisco de Quito University said:
“We don’t know exactly what happened because villagers don’t want to give information, but she was found next to a palm plantation without her mother.
“We suppose they were too close to the plantation and were shot.”
The vets worked fast, performed the surgery, and hoped for the best.
Unbelievably, while some of the bullets were buried too deep in the bones, the doctors did retrieve many others.
Now, the baby jaguar, named D’yaira, is recovering well.
The bullets still in her body won’t stop her from living a full and healthy life, evidently, and she’s currently in a wildlife rehab center so she can reach 100%.
Cabrera added:
“We want her story to be known by everyone, so people can prevent or stop hunting animals.“
D’yaira is now chowing down on “15-20 chicken breasts per day without problem,” so things are definitely looking up!
And it’s all due to the fast-acting people of TUERI (the animal rescue organization responsible), so they should be applauded.
This is one of the best rescue stories we’ve ever heard! ?
