In a village in Thailand, dogs walk in the street. It is an everyday sight, with one exception.
Close to the dogs, a small animal is barking and this animal is not a dog.
A baby muntjac
The barking little animal is a muntjac. Muntjacs are a species of deer native to South and Southeast Asia.
They have some fascinating peculiarities.
For example, the canine teeth of these deer are elongated and protrude outwards as tusks so that they can be used for defence.
Barking deer
The most striking feature of the muntjac, however, is their voice.
When the animals have recognised a danger, they bark loudly to warn other members of their species and also to scare off predators.
This is exactly what the baby muntjac in the Thai village does. He is not trying to imitate the dogs, but wants to keep them at bay.
In a direct fight with a dog, the little one would not stand the slightest chance. Nevertheless, he refuses to give up and barks for his life.
Help in times of need
The villagers realise that they have to act quickly. No matter how desperately the little muntjac tries:
Sooner or later the dogs will strike, as they themselves are dependent on food. So the villagers turn to the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand.
The staff manage to catch the baby animal, which is only a few days old.
The experts believe it must have come from the nearby forest and then got lost.
Cha Lao
The little muntjac is now given the name Cha Lao and receives excellent care at a wildlife clinic. He is not only exhausted to death, but also completely starved.
He greedily drinks a teat bottle while kind people hold him in their arms.
He is still a real baby, which makes his courage in the face of the dogs on the street even more amazing.
But now there is no longer any need for defence and Cha Lao can relax. After a few days he is already feeling much better and is curiously exploring his surroundings.
Source: The Dodo
