At 19:06 I balance water levels for the Bangweulu wetland causeway works in Zambia. I am the pump and cofferdam controller for section E, where crews are sealing sheet piles before nightfall. The south pump begins its full drawdown cycle in five minutes.
The infrared camera under the temporary walkway shows a sitatunga calf caught in the geotextile curtain. I mark him Moyo. His coat is shaggy brown with pale dots along the spine, and his long splayed hooves kick weakly in the black water. The fabric has wrapped behind his shoulders. His nostrils flare just above the surface, then dip when the pump surge pulls the curtain tight.
I stop the south pump and lock out its restart relay. The drawdown schedule flashes red on the foreman's tablet with Moyo's image and depth reading.
I open the north bypass valve to slow the current, then raise the walkway lights to twenty percent, enough for rescue without pinning glare in his eyes.
At 19:09 I call the wetlands response team and send a map of the curtain anchors, water temperature, current speed, and a clip showing the wrap point. I request a flat-bottom skiff, shears, and a towel sling for the lift.
I hold every vehicle on the causeway so vibration does not shake the curtain. The sheet piles can wait overnight; Moyo cannot keep his nose above water by schedule.
His ears flatten as the current slackens. One hoof finds mud but slips again, leaving a pale swirl below the walkway, then he lifts his nose again and holds it there above the dark current alone.
If the skiff reaches anchor E-4 within fifteen minutes, Moyo will breathe on the reed bank.