Deer Stranded On Floating Ice Rescued By Polish Firefighters (VIDEOS)

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish firefighters dodged treacherous sheets of ice in a risky after-dark rescue of a terrified deer stranded on a floe in the Baltic Sea, a spokesman said Wednesday.

The rescue team faced serious hazards navigating among the sharp ice sheets but managed to save the drifting animal at the "last moment" after dark on Tuesday, Waldemar Bogatko told TVN24.

TV footage showed the team of four steering through the plates by boat and using flashlights to find the deer, wrap it in a blanket and carry it back to shore.

"It was extremely difficult to reach it because the ice held us back," Bogatko said.

"It was frightened, jumped into the water and tried to escape but we managed to get it on the boat," he said.

The animal was one of two roe deer that were spotted early Tuesday drifting some 200 meters (yards) off shore in northern Poland near the village of Ustronie Morskie. It was handed over to wildlife authorities in a nearby forest.

Firefighters managed to chase one deer back to land during the day, but the other drifted further out to sea.

Many viewers sent TVN24 e-mails congratulating the team on the rescue, the station said.

Last year a Polish dog attracted international attention after it was rescued from ice floes in the Baltic.

Comments

[tullydad]

08:51 PM on 01/08/2011

Would anyone here begrudge a hunting wolf a deer kill?  Why, then, must we save animals that seem destined to die through mechanisms that DO NOT involve human agency.  Deer die all the time.  It's an imperfect world.  But any ecologist will tell you that this deer - this individual - should not have been rescued.  

Flame away.  I await your responses.

[Simon Woodward]

04:42 PM on 01/09/2011

i agree - we should know when not to intervene

[Loophole]

05:44 PM on 01/12/2011

It's illogical isn't it, Spock?

[Welease Wodewick]

05:30 AM on 01/08/2011

Thank you, to everyone involved in the rescue.

There IS hope.

[amaboss52]

02:12 PM on 01/06/2011

Humans at their best.

[Evil Twin Rove]

01:09 PM on 01/06/2011

that's awesome... I'm surprised the thing didn't bolt into the water when the humans approached

[ASortOfCircle]

03:16 PM on 01/06/2011

I think there's a chance all beings recognize life in these mortal moments, and we become the one that we all are. Maybe that's just my fanciful thinking, but maybe not. I always pull crickets and bees out of the pool, and they'll sit on my hand for ever wiping their faces after taking them out. But trying to get one to sit on your hand in normal circumstances is next to impossible. It's a cool bonding experience if you've never tried it.

[Auto556813]

06:13 PM on 01/06/2011

"I think there's a chance all beings recognize life in these mortal moments, and we become the one that we all are."

It was probably just tired and cold.

[ASortOfCircle]

12:49 PM on 01/06/2011

These stories always crack me up. All the effort to save a deer in distress or a bear in trash can etc., yet people hunt them everyday at the same time. It's very strange. There was a story I read one time about a girl who had a pet chicken and she spent $3500 on vet surgery to fix it's leg- it was broken or some sort of issue. All I could think of was a kfc $4 bucket of 10 legs or tray of legs and thighs at the store for $5. We're a funny lot.

[amaboss52]

02:13 PM on 01/06/2011

Glad you were'nt on that rescue boat. How sad you cannot find beauty in the spirit of people saving a life.

[ASortOfCircle]

02:22 PM on 01/06/2011

You seem to have missed the essence of my point. It wasn't about me or my values, or the spirit or lack of the rescue, it was an observation about our species- hence, 'we're a funny lot'. There are often more than two sides to a story, or to a take on one, you should think about that a little.

[ASortOfCircle]

02:56 PM on 01/06/2011

"The essence of your point was that we eat deer and chicken so why bother rescuing one when they need our help."

Instead of your odd attempt at somehow rewriting what I actually meant(which is too funny) you could just apologize for your misjudgment- I wont hold the grudge.

[denbeath]

09:14 AM on 01/06/2011

if more people were like this the world would not be in such a mess.

[Ranaldo]

08:50 AM on 01/06/2011

Deer CAN swim. And whereas I think it was nice this particular animal did not die, thousands of animals die daily as the result of human activity without the benefit of media attention. Loss of habitat destroys broad swaths of the web of life and prevents these populations from ever being restored or returning to a particular area. Effort should be directed where it will have the most sustainable effect though the preservation of resources and natural areas and regulating those whose wish to destroy these treasures for their short term gain. And maybe someday we will have the courage to confront humanity's urge to outstrip the carrying capicity of the environment.

[james4truth1066]

08:43 AM on 01/06/2011

It is heart warming to see these stories of kindness and bravery, (foolhardy as well), I just wish we could find this spirit of helping and rescuing when it came to the environment.

[outdoors]

07:55 AM on 01/06/2011

So risk the lives of some men to save a deer? I just got a paper cut someone please call 911 before I get blood on my key board.

One less deer to jump out infront of a car might not have been a bad thing.

[Telly Savalas]

08:46 AM on 01/06/2011

Amen! If it hadn't been Bambi's aunt, what then?
A rat?
A cow?
A slug?
This story is about the most absurd I've seen.
I hope they made into Polish sausage.....

[Ranaldo]

08:58 AM on 01/06/2011

Learn about animal behavior, learn to recognize when you are driving in deer habitat and at what times of day they are going to be active and drop your speed accordingly, 5-10 mph. That should take care of your problem.

[Loophole]

07:42 AM on 01/06/2011

Or THEIR best....

[Loophole]

07:41 AM on 01/06/2011

Humans at there best.

[amaboss52]

02:15 PM on 01/06/2011

I said the exact same thing above. Should've read a few posts before I posted.

[life-of-riley]

07:24 AM on 01/06/2011

Now that was a bad ideer.

[blueeyedbull]

06:35 AM on 01/06/2011

What an uplifting and happy story. Thanks to the Polish firefighters for rescuing this deer.

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

05:55 AM on 01/06/2011

Wonderful!

[RobertFromMN]

05:52 AM on 01/06/2011

Well done, firefighters!