Bhubaneswar, June 20: All the deer shifted to Chandaka forest near Nandankanan zoo on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar from the Deer Park at Tulasipur in Cuttack have made good friendship with their wild counterparts.
All the deer shifted from Tulasipur Deer Park in Cuttack in January this year were released to the Chandaka-Damapada sanctuary after a few months special care and now they have made good friendship with their wild counterparts, said Chandaka DFO Sarat Behera.
“They were kept in enclosure for few days to get habited with the new habitation and were given wild grass, leaf along with animal feed to adjust in the new environment. Eventually, they adopted the new place after release into the wild,” said Behera.
The deer were kept in a 70-acre special enclosure at Chandaka-Dampada sanctuary after relocation following a response from the Orissa High Court and a warning from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) regarding the necessity of providing adequate space and a suitable environment for the animals in the Cuttack Deer Park.
The deer park, established in 1981 on a 2.5-acre plot, initially housed five deer, but the population had grown to 296, causing spatial challenges. Two deer died before shifting and the relocation process for the 294 animals began in December 31, 2023.
As many as 154 deer were shifted to Ambilo and 154 to Bharatpur. However, most of them fell ill after relocation and were kept under 24 hour close observation of wildlife experts. Before their release to the wild, 40 deer died in Ambilo and 20 in Bharatpur. Meanwhile 55 cubs were born during this period at the two refugee camps.
