An injured female musk deer was rescued by Wildlife Department officials after it was found entangled in a barbed wire fence along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Gurez sector of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Thursday. Wildlife officials said the animal was first spotted by local residents in the Shitalbagh area near a BRO camp in Gurez Valley, who noticed that the deer had become trapped in the fencing and appeared injured. Residents immediately informed the Wildlife Department, following which a rescue team rushed to the spot and carefully freed the animal from the barbed wire. Officials said the endangered deer had sustained minor injuries while trying to free itself from the fence along the LoC. After the rescue, the animal was safely shifted to a veterinary facility in Dawar, where it received medical treatment from veterinary staff. Following treatment, the musk deer was released back into its natural habitat in the nearby forest area, officials said. Wildlife officials appreciated the timely action of the local residents, saying their prompt response helped save the life of the rare animal. The Himalayan musk deer, considered an endangered species, inhabits the high-altitude forests of the Himalayas, including parts of Kashmir, Gurez, Kishtwar and Himachal Pradesh. Conservationists say such rescue operations highlight the importance of community awareness and wildlife protection in fragile mountain ecosystems.