You Have to Check Out This Deer Flying in the Skies Over Utah!

Veuer

No, these aren’t reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh in a strange and admittedly awkward way. These deer are being transported via helicopter to a care facility in Utah, all to ensure the population health of the state’s animal inhabitants. Veuer’s Tony Spitz has the details.

Transcript

00:00No, these aren't reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh in a strange and admittedly awkward way.

00:04Quite the opposite.

00:05These deer are being transported via helicopter to a care facility in Utah,

00:10all to ensure the population health of the state's animal inhabitants.

00:13This is all part of an annual wellness check being conducted by Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources.

00:19They relocate some 1,200 deer every year for health checks, as well as fitting them with GPS monitors.

00:24But why?

00:25Well, they want to make sure the animals have been able to build up enough fat to survive the winter.

00:29These concerns are born of increasing urbanization in areas once reserved for wildlife.

00:34This can inhibit local mule deer populations from finding enough grazing areas,

00:38and thus prevent them from building those fat deposits.

00:41The creatures are also prone to several diseases,

00:43with predators and wildfires being a constant concern as well.

00:47It's a good thing Utah's local wildlife division is doing their part,

00:50and it's no doubt an exciting, albeit wild ride, for Santa's native helpers.

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