A white-tailed deer that had been frequenting a ledge in Fall Creek Gorge on the Cornell campus has left and has not been spotted since Wednesday morning, March 20.

Cornell experts in the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Department of Natural Resources and in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation all agreed that the deer should be left alone to find its way out. Any human intervention was a risk to both the animal, which could have bolted over the edge, and to humans. All the professionals consulting on the situation said that the deer was eating well and was healthy, and probably could find its way out if left alone.

The deer was seen initially March 12, and had spent time eating grape vines and drinking creek water. Cornell veterinarians had laid food -- raisins, fresh alfalafa hay and sweet feed -- along a path leading to the deer's location as bait to get the deer to leave the ledge.

"This shows that human intervention, in terms of rappelling down the gorge, would have been risky and unnecessary," said Dr. Fred Quimby, Cornell professor of veterinary medicine who was monitoring the situation for the university. "We can all be thankful we made the right decision."

Animal conservationists said that the deer could return, however, since it had an abundant supply of food and water. "This deer can come and go as it pleases. We may not have seen the last of it," Quimby said.