Over 300 species released into Vandalur forests
Children play with spotted deer in Guindy national park. (Photo: DC)
Chennai: Sighting a spotted deer in the neighbourhoods of Chennai will soon be history as over 300 spotted deer from Guindy, Ekkathuthanganl, Adyar, Tambaram, Velachery and Kotturpuram residential areas have been captured and released into the reserve forests of Vandalur. While foresters admit that they have successfully protected as many as 323 spotted deer from accidents, dog bites and summer sun stroke, environmentalists are not happy with the city failing to protect the once free roaming animal.
“In 2013 and 2014, the number of annual fatal accidents involving deer was around 30. This year, the number of accidents has reduced to less than five and we were able to bring down the mortality rate by translocating more than 300 spotted deer,” said Chennai wildlife warden K. Geethanjali. The project was mooted due to road accidents and dog bites. Now, these animals are relatively safe in the reserve pockets of Vandalur.
After providing quarantine for the rescued deer at Vandalur zoo, they were released in to the nearby Vandalur reserve forests, the warden added. With space constraint chocking wildlife, there has been a spurt in the number of deer deaths, particularly during summer. “We were left with no other option, other than shifting the identified 323 spotted deer,” said S. David Raj, city wildlife headquarters ranger.
The year-long project was kick started last July and completed this May. More than a dozen trained people were involved in trapping and releasing the animals in to wild. “Heart attack is something common among spotted deer when trapped and training our staff was essential,” he said. Spotted deer is an important flagship species of Chennai and today the animal has witnessed local extinction from its urban green pockets, as the city had lost its greenery due to unchecked urbanisation, observed animal welfare officer F.M. Jerold of Animal welfare Board of India.
The translocation of deer is just a protective measure, but the ugly truth is that the authorities and foresters have wiped out a free roaming animal from Chennai. They have failed to provide the due habitat that wildlife deserves, the animal behaviorist said. “We will not be able to gaze the leap of a spotted deer in our neighborhoods, as the authorities captured all the free roaming deer in our locality. I grew up witnessing the graceful feeding of spotted deer in east Tambaram and Velachery, but now its history,” said D. Parthasarathy, a resident of Tambaram.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
Next Story
