Frightened Sambar strays into a shop; tranquilised, rescued by forest officials

In a surprising turn of events, a Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) wandered into a shoe shop near the Forest Offices Complex in town on Tuesday, sparking fear and curiosity among shopkeepers and passersby.

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The animal, believed to be around two years old, was first spotted on the market road. Startled by the sound of vehicle horns and the hustle of the busy street, it dashed along the road before abruptly entering a shoe shop, where it remained calm despite the chaos outside.

As soon as the Sambar entered the store, the shopkeeper and his employees rushed out in alarm and quickly alerted the Forest Department. A team from the department arrived promptly at the scene and successfully tranquilised the animal before transporting it to the nearest departmental medical facility.

Divisional Forest Officer Ankit Singh confirmed the incident and noted that the Sambar population has been steadily increasing in the district’s forests. He said the young animal may have accidentally strayed into town, likely disoriented by traffic and noise. After initial treatment and observation, the Sambar was relocated to a forest enclosure in the nearby village of Sastar, where it is currently under the care of veterinary experts. The DFO added that the animal will be released back into the wild once it is deemed fit.

Clarifying common confusion regarding deer species, DFO Singh explained that while some bystanders initially referred to the animal as a Barasingha, it was, in fact, a Sambar. “Sambars typically have four to eight antlers, whereas Barasinghas—also known as swamp deer—have 12 or more,” he said. “The Sambar is also notably larger in size than the Barasingha.”

The rare appearance of the wild animal in a busy commercial area has sparked conversation among residents about the growing interaction between wildlife and urban spaces.