Deer With A Bone Lodged In Her Mouth Eludes Days-Long Rescue Operation At Lake Hollywood

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Deer With A Bone Lodged In Her Mouth Eludes Days-Long Rescue Operation At Lake Hollywood A deer spotted at the Hollywood Reservoir with a very unusual injury has evaded biologists' rescue attempts.

HOLLYWOOD, CA — Wildlife officials were unsuccessful in their attempts this week to rescue a deer with a large bone lodged inside her mouth, despite a robust response that included closing off a popular hiking area.

The deer has been spotted recently around the Hollywood Reservoir. Photos and videos of her in her distressed, injured state have circulated on social media, where some have come to dub her "Floppy." Wildlife officials say the large bone lodged in her mouth is likely preventing the deer from eating or drinking.

Without human help, her chances of survival are likely dwindling.

Concerned residents alerted officials, prompting a biologist from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife to spend several days earlier this week searching for the deer at the reservoir.

"This is the first time I've ever seen anything like this," the biologist, Kevin Howells, told Fox LA. "She's wounded. She's injured. She feels vulnerable. She's malnourished."

The operation included locking the fence around the reservoir as Howells hoped to immobilize the doe with a tranquilizer dart in order to remove the bone and provide her any necessary medical treatment.

"She has what looks to be a femur bone lodged in her mouth and her throat," Howells told NBC 4. "I saw her briefly yesterday afternoon. But she went down-slope toward the water, and I didn't have a chance to immobilize her."

The area is a difficult place to immobilize a deer, because it takes both 10 minutes for the drug to take effect — enough time for the deer to scamper away and hide, Howells told Fox LA.

Wildlife officials did not return to the reservoir Thursday after being called to other matters elsewhere, Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman Tim Daly told Patch.

"We do have access to field cameras, and the hiking area is back open to the public so we wouldn't be surprised if we get reports of sightings," Daly said. "Our response would be based on the credibility of the reports and how soon we could get there to locate the deer."

It's unclear exactly how the bone became lodged in the deer's mouth. Deer eat plant matter, but infrequently chew on bones to get minerals they're not getting elsewhere in their diet, Howells told Fox LA.

Anyone with credible information about the deer's whereabouts can report it to the Fish and Wildlife's Region 5 office at 858-467-4201.