Durban - Wildlife and animal enthusiasts rallied together to rescue a bush pig that was stuck in a ditch next to the M13 freeway in Paradise Valley.
After a rock had been removed off the bush pig and it was brought out it had to euthanized because of the injuries it sustained.
Nick Evans of the KwaZulu-Natal Amphibian and Reptile Conservation dubbed it as the "biggest team ever responding to a rescue".
Evans said a homeless man heard the animal squealing and notified a resident in Cowies Hill and the Westville Vet as well, who then alerted the Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW).
A message had gone up on a neighborhood Whatsapp group.
"I phoned Andreas Mathios from Blue Security and we met at the Sasol petrol station, along with JAG security officers. We all walked down, crossed the dangerous road, and found it in a ditch in the center island of this busy freeway," Evans explained.
Soon Metro Police, CROW, Monkey Helpline KZN and the Kloof and Highway SPCA joined the rescue team.
"One does not go and pick up a Bushpig. They can rip you to pieces! The SPCA didn't hesitate in saying they could help, and their vets and director (Lauren, Kerrie, Barbara) came down the hill to our aid. One of the CROW staff noticed what looked like a drag mark running alongside the road, and into where it was stranded. It looked like it had been hit by a car, and dragged itself to where it was, falling in its traumatized state,"Evans explained.
Evans estimated that it could have been sitting there for 12 hours or more, with a concrete block against it and freezing water trickling down on it.
"What a horrible state for this poor animal to be in. Kerrie and Lauren did an excellent job at tranquilizing the animal, with it being a first for them too. It took about 12 minutes for it to pass out. Peace for it, at last," Evans said.
Steve Smit of Monkey Helpline hopped down, and got a rope around the concrete block.
The team pulled and lifted it off the pig.
This gave Smit and Lauren a chance to lift the pig up, and hand it over to an official from CROW, who lifted it into a transport box.
Wildlife and animal enthusiasts rallied together to rescue a bush pig that was stuck in a ditch next to the M13 freeway in Paradise Valley. Picture: KwaZulu-Natal Amphibian and Reptile Conservation.
"Kloof and Highway SPCA was close by, had a x-ray machine and the relevant medicines. The decision was made to take the animal there, where x-rays were quickly taken. Tragically, they showed that the spine was totally severed. There was no chance of recovery, and the decision was made to put it out of its misery. It was euthanized," Evans said.
"A sickening blow, especially after all our efforts. And it was such a big team effort. But, our efforts weren't totally in vain. If we hadn't done what we did, it would have died a very slow, miserable death. It's suffering was over," Evans said.