This month in wildlife rescues: excavator buckets save lives.

When two deer fawns got stuck in the mud at a construction site in Washington recently, heavy machinery came to the rescue. The youngsters (who should clearly be named "John" and "Deere"), were sinking in the sludge when they were spotted by Tacoma local Bill Davis.

"I wouldn’t have seen them if they hadn’t moved and caught my eye!" says Davis, who made the discovery whilst checking on the property, which is owned by his employer. Determined to help, he flagged down a nearby excavator operator and orchestrated an impromptu rescue.

It's estimated that the black-tailed deer were yearlings, meaning it's very possible they managed to survive their ordeal. A black-tailed deer fawn will typically stay by its mother's side for one to two years, but these two are old enough to nibble greenery.  

That said, Davis has been returning to the site to ensure the deer don't make the same mistake twice. "I didn't sleep much [after the rescue]," he said. "All I could think about was those little guys getting stuck again, and not finding mama! I'm out there looking to make sure the babies didn't come back to the mud!"


__

Top header image: Bob Jensen/Flickr