The Hindu : Sambhar deer gives birth

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 20, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Sambhar deer gives birth

By G. Mahadevan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Feb. 19. The birth of a male Sambhar deer at the city zoo four days ago is being seen as a mixed blessing; there is joy at the arrival of a skippetty young one and worry over the fast shrinking space to house the burgeoning deer population.

According to superintendent at the zoo, Harikumar, the young deer was in fine health and was feeding normally. According to him, the first few hours in the life of a calf are crucial to its survival.

"I have seen many instances when the mother deer had pushed a newborn into the enclosure's moat and leaving it to die. There have also been cases when the herd as a whole had stamped a newborn to death. The post mortem on all these calves had revealed some deformity or other in some internal organ. Evidently, the deer have an instinctive way of knowing whether a newborn was fit for survival and subsequent propagation of the species,'' he explains.

Even as they are happy at the new addition to the zoo's population, the authorities there are also deeply concerned over the overcrowding of the deer enclosures.

The deer by nature have a very fast rate of reproduction.

The new arrival not counted, the deer population at the city zoo stands at 193; there are 67 Sambhar deer, 30 Hog deer, five Barking deer, 26 Black Bucks and 70 Spotted deer.

The pressure on space is being felt so acutely that the zoo authorities have recommenced the sterilisation programme that was suspended following death of a deer during sterilisation at another zoo last year.

Already four deer have been sterilised and put in the elephant enclosure.

According to Mr. Harikumar, the most viable option would be to introduce the deer to the wild. This, he acknowledges, is easier said that done. The zoo cannot directly introduce the deer to the wild. They would have to be kept in a specially prepared enclosure to get them acclimatised to the forest. Even after they are let out, they would have to be closely monitored to find out whether they are successful in foraging for food. Deer who are too much used to have food brought to them, may not survive for long in the wild, it is pointed out.

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