Lena, das Reh-Fohlen, wächst am Gut Aiderbichl in Kärnten; Mutter Lea schützt Lena vor Räubern.
Lena, a fallow deer fawn, is growing up in a safe environment at Gut Aiderbichl
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From the perspective of an Aiderbichler
Lena the fallow deer fawn
Lena is growing up in the safe environment of the Gut Aiderbichl Animal Paradise in Carinthia
The fallow deer survived the Ice Ages only in Asia Minor and disappeared from Central Europe during that period. From the Middle Ages onwards, it was reintroduced here, not least because its appearance and characteristics make it ideally suited to being kept in enclosures. In Austria, we rarely encounter it in the wild – or at Gut Aiderbichl in Carinthia.
Bruno and five of his mates escaped from an enclosure
Bruno, who had escaped, and his friends posed a danger to traffic, and so, unfortunately, two fallow deer were shot. Bruno roamed through the housing estates and soon realised where there were animal lovers who would feed him. In the autumn, Bruno and his fellow fallow deer were returned to the enclosure at Maiernigg on Lake Wörthersee. But then the next threat arose, as there were plans to close the fallow deer enclosure. Animal welfare campaigners stood up for the herd and set about finding a safe new home for the fallow deer.
Gut Aiderbichl has experience in capturing animals without causing them stress
It wasn’t easy to convey to the fallow deer – Bruno, Lino, Lillli, Lisa and Lea – that we ‘only wanted to rescue them’. The terrain was steep. The animals had to be sedated for transport, and it took many hours, as everything had to be done as stress-free as possible. And then: at the end of a long day, the animal transporters finally arrived at their new home at Gut Aiderbichl in Micheldorf near Friesach.
The story of Bruno and his mates shows compassion for animals
Bruno and his runaway companions managed to win people’s hearts. They were given food, and everyone started thinking about how they could help the animals. What nobody knew at the time was that Lea, the five-year-old fallow deer doe, was pregnant. Following the rutting season from October to November, a fallow deer doe has a gestation period of around 145–150 days before the fawn is born.
Lena will never want to run away
Lea’s calf, Lena, is only a few weeks old and has already stolen the hearts of the animal carers.
Mum Lea is busy raising her calf. The strong mother-calf bond is crucial for the calf’s survival.
Lea looks after her calf with great care, protecting Lena from predators (wolves, lynx and foxes), and will introduce Lena to the herd at the right time.
Markus Leitner, manager of Gut Aiderbichl in Carinthia, is delighted with the healthy new arrival in the deer enclosure and tenderly strokes Bruno the fallow deer on the back:
“If you hadn’t escaped from the enclosure, we wouldn’t be enjoying this wonderful experience right now, dear Bruno!” .
Just do your best work – then try to do even better.
By: Gisela Pschenitschnig, Gut Aiderbichl
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