Boy Risks Life to Save Baby Deer from Strong Floodwaters (PHOTOS)

The South Asian country of Bangladesh experiences flooding every year. In fact, 80 percent of the country is a floodplain and sits right on the edge of the Ganges Delta with the Ganges River and the Brahmaputra River following through it.

According to The Guardian, Bangladeshi people “depend on floods for their living” as it “brings layers of fresh mud, full of nutrients, and on this you can get a good rice crop.”

However, in more recent years, floods have been a constant torment to many residents as the area’s landscape and weather have continued to change.

“Damming rivers in India, deforestation in Nepal and changing rainfall patterns have combined to make floods more violent, more frequent and – this is the real disaster – less predictable,” The Guardian reports.

Last year, in Noakhali, Bangladesh, flash floods affected 25,000 people and washed away 11,500 hectares of paddy. It is in this district that a great act of courage was documented by visiting wildlife photographer, Hasib Wahab, during one flood season.

Seeing a fawn struggling to stay afloat in the strong floodwaters, a young Bangladeshi teen named Belal sprung into action and jumped into the surging river, risking his own life.

According to the Huffington Post, Belal “disappeared beneath the water at times,” and five onlookers including Wahad were “worried the boy might drown.”

However, Belal’s bravery did not waver as he pushed through and held the tired baby deer high above his head.

Soon after, Belal came out of the floodwaters with the baby deer safe in his hand and away from the surging water.

He brought the fawn safely to shore…

…and softly set the baby down on the ground.

The fawn laid down for a while, tired from the ordeal…

…but after a bit of rest, it got up all on its own and trotted away…

…and was finally reunited with its family, all thanks to the kind and brave heart of Belal. Amazing!