New Delhi: Delhi is ready to lose its well-known Deer Park with the central authorities cancelling its recognition as a ‘mini zoo’ and deciding to translocate the animals resulting from their quickly rising numbers and insufficient manpower. An order to this impact was just lately issued by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), a statutory physique below the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, officers stated on Tuesday. “Six deer were introduced in the park in the 1960s and over time, the number swelled to approximately 600. It had been given the status of a ‘mini zoo’ by the CZA,” a senior official stated.
The park, formally often known as A N Jha Deer Park, in south Delhi’s Hauz Khas space is a well-liked picnic spot and a preferred hangout zone. It comes below the jurisdiction of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). A senior official of the DDA stated, the park’s premises will stay open to guests, because it was earlier. The CZA issued the order cancelling Deer Park’s recognition as a ‘mini zoo’ on June 8.
“Rapid growth of population, inbreeding, the possibility of spread of disease and lack of trained manpower to maintain the mini zoo led to the decision,” an official supply stated. Now, forest departments of Rajasthan and Delhi shall take additional motion for the translocation of the deer, based on the supply. “The Deer Park is a protected forest area and after the deer are shifted, it shall be maintained as a protected forest,” the supply stated.
According to the CZA’s order, “A meeting under the chairmanship of Dr. Sanjay Kumar Shukla, Member Secretary, Central Zoo Authority was held on January 30, 2023, to deliberate on the proposal — ‘Shifting of deer and cancellation of recognition of A N Jha Deer Park’.” It was steered that “since only about 600 animals are stated to be housed in the said zoo, upon cancellation, the captive animals shall be released in the natural habitat of the state of Rajasthan and National Capital Territory of Delhi in the ratio 70 per cent and 30 per cent respectively”, the order acknowledged.
The launch shall adjust to extant statutory provisions and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) tips for re-introduction and different conservation translocations, it stated. A senior official of the CZA stated it was assured by the authorities that the park will proceed to “remain a green belt” and that it will not be used for any development actions.
He added that earlier than being shifted into the forest areas, the deer will likely be “quarantined” and solely after it has been ascertained that they don’t carry any illness, they are going to be moved there
