Cuttack: The Deer Park authorities in Cuttack’s Madhusudan Nagar have initiated the process of relocating the deer to Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary in the Outskirts of Bhubaneswar. Of the 290-odd deer in the park nearly 35 have already been relocated to their new enclosure at Ambilo in the Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary, said Ajit Kumar Satapathy, ACF, City Forest Division.
According to the Deer Park authorities here, it has become necessary to shift the deer to the large enclosure at Ambilo as the park had become overcrowded as a result of a rapid increase in the population of deer. The new enclosure is spread over 3.5 hectares of forest land within Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary and will have ample space to accommodate the entire population of the deer park.
The relocation of the deer comes in the wake of an order issued by the Orissa High Court’s order directing the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) to set up another deer park. The High Court issued the order four years back. In addition, the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) had warned the CMC, which maintains the Deer Park, to cancel its licence if it failed to provide enough space and maintain the deer in the park properly.
The Deer Park in Cuttack was established over 2.5 acres on the banks of the Mahanadi River in 1981. The park which was established with only five deer now has a population of 296.
While many in Cuttack are unhappy over the closure of the Deer Park, Chandaka DFO Sarat Chandra Behera said, “We are equipped with more space, amenities, and food to take care of the deer better.”
The deer will be released into Chandaka forest once they get acquainted with the forest environment, the authorities said.
