Sambalpur, July 16: Under the aegis of Animal Exchange programme, at least 12 spotted deer from the Sambalpur zoo was ported to The Debrigarh Sanctuary in Odisha's Bargarh on Tuesday.
Another 103 deer are scheduled to be shifted soon, in view of finding suitable space for the herbivorous and creating enclosures for housing tigers.
DFO Hirakud Wildlife Division, Anshu Pragyan Das, informed that the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has approved a masterplan for Sambalpur Zoo which can now have 48 species in 13 hectares. Accordingly, a proposal was earlier sent for shifting 115 deer, which recently got departmental approval.
There is a proposal to bring tigers and Magars to the Sambalpur Zoo. Only 8 spotted deer will be kept at Sambalpur Zoo, as per the masterplan. Its why, all enclosures will be renovated and enriched as per the layout plan.
“We have set up a quarantine enclosure of 1.2 hectares wherein the 115 spotted deer deported from other habitat, will be released in a phased manner to acclimatise them to the new habitat. The animals will be kept in the quarantine enclosure for two to four weeks and they will be completely under observation. A customised vehicle has also been made for translocation," added Das.
On the tiger project, the DFO said that the Odisha Wildlife authorities had earlier proposed to bring 4 tigers to Sambalpur Zoo which has got the authorities’ nod.Tigers will be imported here to the Sambalpur zoo once proper space is created for the big cats.
