Spotted deer, blackbucks set for translocation

Bengaluru: As many as 80 spotted deer including some blackbucks have been translocated from the Tungabhadra mini zoo located in the vicinity of Tungabhadra reservoir area of Hospet in Vijaynagar district and for release into  reserve forest in Hiriyur taluk of Chitradurga district. The release into the wild would happen after these animals complete their quarantine period of about a month.

The Tungabhadra mini zoo was in existence in 1982 but the zoo failed to meet the requirements set by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), New Delhi. Citing poor facilities for the animals in captivity, CZA did not renew the permission and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Wildlife, Bengaluru was instructed to initiate suitable actions to translocate the animals which included spotted deer, blackbucks and some peacocks.

A reserve forest area in Hiriyur taluk of Chitradurga district has been identified as the suitable locations to translocate these herbivorous animals to their natural habitat.

Involved in translocation of deers, Kiran Kumar, director of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Zoological Park in Hospet, told Deccan Chronicle on Tuesday that these translocated animals are made to acclimatise to the new conditions and their introduction to the reserve forest which was identified suitable for their release.

He stated that the translocation of these spotted deer and blackbucks would help increase prey density in the reserve forest and predators such as leopards found in the reserve forest would feed upon them and chances of leopards straying out of the forests would come down.

On the success of translocation efforts, B.P. Ravi, member secretary of Zoo Authority of Karnataka said that a few spotted deers were translocated to Arabithittu Sanctuary near Hunsur in Mysuru some years back and the introduction of herbivorous animals made Dholes (Indian Wild Dogs) to make frequent visits to the area while tigers also made their appearances searching for prey.

Range Forest Officer of Hiriyur range Rajshekar said the reserve forest where translocation would happen supports spotted deers, four-horned antelopes, leopards, beras among others animals and expressed confidence that these translocated animals would also acclimatise to their new conditions well.