The Delhi High Court on Wednesday ordered the city authorities to halt, until further orders, the translocation of spotted deer from the Deer Park at Hauz Khas.
The court, responding to a plea seeking a stay of the June 8, 2023 decision of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to cancel the Deer Park’s recognition as a mini zoo, suggested that at least 50 deer be retained in the park, and the remaining deer be sent to green areas under the control of Delhi Development Authority (DDA), or the Ridge, located in north Delhi.
“Retain at least 50 [in the park]. At least children can see some deer. In the meantime, maintain status quo, don’t shift [the deer],” the court said, listing the case for further hearing in January.
The CZA cancelled the Deer Park’s licence as a mini zoo earlier this year in view of rapid overpopulation, inbreeding, and the possibility of a spread of disease among the deer, as well as a lack of trained manpower to maintain the animals.
The petitioner, the New Delhi Nature Society, challenged the CZA’s decision, saying that the exercise of shifting the animals was being done in contravention of applicable guidelines that protect old, newborn and pregnant deer from translocation.
The society also submitted that authorities had earlier said the issue of translocation had been referred to the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun, and 80 spotted deer in batches of 40 each had been moved to other places so far.
The park, located in south Delhi, is a popular picnic and exercise spot for locals. Initially, as few as six deer were introduced into the park in the 1960s. Over time, however, the number increased to approximately 600.
Published - December 07, 2023 12:56 am IST
