Bush buck dies despite an extensive rescue effort: Knysna

At 14h00, Monday, 31st October, NSRI Knysna duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a juvenile ram bush buck seen to be swimming across the Knysna Heads from Featherbed towards the Eastern Head of Knysna Heads.NSRI rescue swimmers reponded to the scene and the buck was found to have reached the shore where it was trapped by the tide in a cave at the foot of the Eastern Head.The buck bolted and again launched into the surf and swam back towards the Western Head of Knysna Heads and NSRI Knysna duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Jolen.On arrival on the scene the buck was found to be caught in the surf in a gully in amongst rocks and being washed against rocks by waves.NSRI rescue swimmers were deployed into the surf and they managed to get the buck onto rocks where the buck was found to be critically injured and pulseless.NSRI rescuers commenced CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) efforts but after all efforts to resuscitate the buck were exhausted the buck was sadly declared deceased.The deceased buck was loaded onto the sea rescue craft and brought to shore and has been handed into the care of SA National Park rangers.The efforts of the NSRI Knysna crew in this difficult rescue effort are commended by NSRI Headquarters.TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE