Only 1 Deer Killed In Dog Attack: FRO
Foresters deny reports of 10 deer deaths
Hyderabad: The forest department clarified that only one deer — not ten, as reported in some media outlets — died following a stray dog attack at Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park on Wednesday. The park, home to nearly 1,000 deer across four enclosures, has been struggling with stray dogs entering through a damaged boundary near an extension adjoining the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) dumping yard.
According to forest range officer Sai Prakash, two stray dogs entered Extension-I of the park on October 18 and attacked an adult deer. “Our staff rushed to the spot and sought veterinary assistance, but the animal succumbed to shock and asphyxia caused by the dog bites. The post-mortem confirmed these findings and the carcass was buried in the presence of officials,” he said.
He added that the boundary wall repair, which began in last May, had been delayed due to continuous rains, leaving an opening through which dogs entered. “We managed to drive away one dog, while another remains inside the park. Efforts are on to capture it,” he said.
Rangareddy district forest officer D. Sudhakar Reddy dismissed reports of multiple deaths as “baseless and misleading,” assuring that all other deer were safe and under close observation. The park has 12 camera traps, but none were positioned in the section where the attack occurred, leaving the incident unrecorded. Officials said coordination with the GHMC is underway to curb the stray dog menace and strengthen the park’s boundary protection.
“All necessary measures are being taken to ensure the safety of the deer population and prevent future intrusions,” a senior official said.