Discovering Something Unusual
A hot day on the savanna turned into a great catastrophe when a lone ranger noticed a large animal in the distance. Something looked unusual about the creature.
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It’s stomach appeared to be protruding outward, which was quite alarming to see. The ranger peered further into the distance, not exactly sure what type of animal this was. He just knew that something wasn’t right and it needed help.
One Hard-Working Ranger
George has been an experienced ranger for many years. He and his coworkers would trek through the savanna for hours. They would constantly encounter various wild animals, so they knew exactly what to do and how to handle them.
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What he saw when the creature looming in the distance he was confused and in fear. He decided he should call in for help, and grabbed his radio.
For the Love of the Wild
George played a large part at his job. With his list of responsibilities constantly growing, he was trusted and reliable—not everyone has the resources, time, energy and money to meet the demands of such a job as his.
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He was a rare commodity, and truly loved what he did. Even though he was confused and quite scared in this scenario, he knew he should do everything he could to investigate further.
Giving It His All
George knew how imperative it was to preserve the savannah despite the long and grueling hours, the hot sun and facing wild animals everyday.
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He had a love and an urgency to care for the savanna and all who inhabited it, despite any fear, hesitation, or simply not knowing what to do in a given situation. George knew he had reliable coworkers who would back him up in every situation.
Staring Off Into the Horizon
While he decided to call for help, the idea was seeming more and more ridiculous to him. At first he thought he was probably hallucinating because of being tired from a long day under the beating sun.
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After continuing to gaze off into the distance he decided his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him. He had confidence in himself, his abilities and his job, so decided to take a closer look.
Never Giving Up In the Line of Duty
George took care of himself while on the job—he always stayed hydrated while in the sun for long amounts of time, and continued to fuel his body with food. He listened to his body, and took breaks when necessary.
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Since he had a solid routine while working, he didn’t want to jump to the conclusion that he was hallucinating and give up on this creature right away. In hindsight, George was certainly glad he went with his gut.
George Can't Believe His Eyes
Upon approaching, George quickly realized the large animal was a lion. When he noticed this, he was taken aback and quite alarmed. He didn’t understand how a lion could be so large.
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The animal was unusually large and George knew that the poor creature needed medical attention. He badly wanted to assist the lion, and that overwhelming urge trumped any fear or hesitation George had when he approached him.
The Urge To Do Everything He Could
In all of the years George had been working as a ranger, he had never quite seen anything like this. While he encountered large and sick animals before, this was something certainly bewildering.
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George knew that it wasn’t within his authority to help this animal in the way that it needed. The lion was extremely still—it looked disoriented and clearly was in a lot of pain.
The Most Concerned He'd Ever Been
As George got closer to the lion, he realized he recognized him. He was one of the alpha males from a the local lion pack on the savanna. However, he didn’t look as he normally did because he had a very large bulging belly.
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The lion looked uncomfortable having such an outward abscess. George knew this wasn’t something he could handle all alone. After all, it was still a wild animal.
A Passionate Ranger
Working as a ranger for many years, George was familiar with the animals he came across on the savanna everyday—he was there to take care of and look over them.
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With all his experience, he could recognize when the animals’ mannerisms appeared unusual. George understood he would need a team of dedicated individuals to help him identify the issue and nurse the sick lion back to health.
In Need of Urgent Assistance
George knew he was going to need extra help, so he decided to call in other rangers on his radio. He also called his boss to report the situation.
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His boss also sensed the urgency, and decided action needed to be taken quickly. Soon his coworkers did arrive, and they decided to contact a nearby veterinarian. The vet let them know not to get any closer to the lion, in fear they may be attacked.
Coworkers to the Rescue
George’s boss wanted to help protect the lion from whatever was causing its stomach to swell just as much as his underling. George appreciated his boss and coworkers’ willingness to assist the feline even in such a potentially dangerous situation for them.
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He knew that the veterinarian, with her years of experience and great empathy, would be the best choice for the lion to receive the ideal care.
Emergency Sedation
The vet informed everyone that she would be there as quickly as possible, but until then she needed the rangers to sedate the lion. The rangers helped secure the area so the veterinarian could work without risk of other animals approaching.
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George volunteered to be the one to sedate the lion, which thankfully worked quickly. The lion cooperated nicely, maybe sensing the humans intended to alleviate his pain.
Preparing for the Visit
Preparing for the veterinarian to arrive was a big job in itself. Ensuring that the lion was sedated was a dangerous act, but was necessary so the vet could perform any physical examination on the lion it may need.
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Working together with the other rangers to secure the area for the vet to have a safe and effective work space was also a challenge. They executed everything efficiently, and waited on the vet.
Slowly But Surely
The lion was sedated, so the rangers felt a little more comfortable approaching the creature. They were close enough to the lion to notice the swollen part of his belly was at the top of his stomach.
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Though everything was set up, the vet was still not here. She informed the group that she was stuck in traffic during rush hour.
Unforeseen Obstacles Delay the Arrival
Due to traffic the veterinarian was stuck in, she was worried the lion would continue to get worse. Her goal was to get there as quickly as possible.
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Once she did arrive, she wasn’t sure where to go. She didn’t think it would be a wise idea to try to wander about the savanna on her own. She could run into wild animals without any rangers around to protect her.
Rushing to the Scene
The veterinarian decided to reach out to the main headquarters, and was told all the rangers were there, including George.
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The manager insisted on driving her in his Jeep to the location where the sick lion lay, since it would be quite a voyage. The trip took three hours, and the veterinarian was on pins and needles waiting to arrive on the scene to help the rangers and the sick lion.
Waiting Eagerly in Anticipation
The team on the scene grew worried and restless as they awaited the veterinarian. Their biggest concern was the sedative wearing off and the lion waking up before her arrival.
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George was unsure what the temperament of the lion would be if that happened. They didn’t have any more sedatives left if this one was to wear off, so time was of the essence.
The Beast Awakens
The lion had woken up, and all the sedatives were gone. Now it was up to George and the rangers to figure out how to keep it in one space so that the vet could help him once she arrived.
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The lion waking up before the vet could get there was everyone’s main concern—no pun intended. The group decided to circle around him in their Jeeps to block the lion from leaving.
Life Threatening Aggression
However, this plan didn’t prove to be the most effective—they could tell the lion was beginning to get frustrated being blocked from roaming about as it pleased.
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The group didn’t want to run the risk of making the lion feel trapped, and attacking as a result. Its energy began to shift and it started to react aggressively. George and the rangers were immensely terrified and not sure what to do.
A Successful Administration
The veterinarian finally arrived, equipped with more sedatives. With the lion awake now and quite aggressive, everyone’s lives were at risk. The brave vet was willing to help no matter the impending danger.
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With no fear, she got closer and closer to the lion. George and the other rangers did their best to distract it as the vet approached. With their assistance, she was able to successfully administer the drug into the lion’s lower body.
Relieved And Overjoyed
It took some time for the lion to slow down. Once he become drowsy, the veterinarian administered an additional dose of the medication to ensure he was completely unconscious.
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The group was relieved and exhausted once they were done with this great task, as they feared they could have lost their lives. Once able to investigate the subdued feline, the vet came to the conclusion that it ate something foreign.
Confirming the Hypothesis With an Ultrasound
The vet had to investigate what the lion could have possibly eaten to cause this type of reaction. Even with all of her experience, she admitted she had never seen such a thing.
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The veterinarian insisted the lion needed an ultrasound so she could examine what he had eaten, so the rangers fetched her equipment from the Jeep. She was astounded by what she found, and informed the rangers to contact the authorities as quickly as possible.
Resorting to Surgery
The vet identified something stuck in the lion’s stomach. Its body wasn’t naturally breaking down what it had ingested, which the veterinarian found quite strange. With that discovery she decided it was best to perform an emergency surgery right there.
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However, she knew she’d be risking her own safety. The smell of the lion’s blood could attract other predators. Everyone remained on the look out while the veterinarian performed the surgery.
Standard Operating Procedure?
The veterinarian knew that complications would arise, being that she wasn’t in her typical operation setting. They weren’t in a sterile operating room, so she had to be even more careful and technical as she sliced through the flesh of the lion.
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Finally the source of the abscess was apparent. She grabbed onto a piece of meat inside the lion that wasn’t digested and noticed a faint glow coming from it.
A Rare Cut of Meat
George informed the authorities and the veterinarian he thought he knew what it was—it may have been a small microchip. He told the cops he had run into poachers on the savanna who were using trackers on the animals.
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George recalled the poachers escaping—they dropped a device as they had been caught acting suspicious. When George showed the cops, they determined it to be a device that tracked microchips.
The team came to the conclusion that the poachers planted microchips so they could track and capture lions, a practice that’s pretty standard procedure.
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The lion was having trouble digesting the meat they used, so it caused the feline to react unfavorably. The veterinarian made sure everything else concerning the creature was in good shape and began wrapping up the procedure. The lion now seemed to be in good health.
The Lion Wakes Up
Soon after the surgery, the lion began to wake. Now that the surgery was completed, everyone held their distance. The lion looked a bit flustered, but soon began to walk away.
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The team was thrilled they were able to play a part in helping the lion in his distressed state. He looked a lot better now than before the procedure. The veterinarian told George to keep an eye on the lion’s mannerisms.
All's Well That Ends Well
The police informed everyone that the poachers responsible would be found and prosecuted. The authorities later conducted a long form investigation and found the poachers and all of their accomplices.
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George and his fellow rangers were able to breathe knowing they were a part of ensuring the animals of the savanna were healthy and safe. To this day, George still makes it a priority to check on the lion to make sure he’s in good condition.