Bengaluru: Buoyed by the success of a previous experiment to translocate captive-bred herbivores (chital, sambhar deer) to Kali Tiger Reserve in 2022, forest officials from Mysuru’s Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens on Wednesday translocated yet another batch of 40 spotted deer (Axis axis) to the reserve in Uttara Kannada.
The herbivores ferried in customized trucks for over 10 hours were successfully released into the quarantine facility at Phansoli range near Dandeli with zero mortality.
Regardless of the success, the move to translocate captive-bred animals to the wild has whipped up intense debate among conservationists. While some have slammed the decision, a few others have hailed the exercise as the only method to sustain the carnivore density in the evergreen forests of Kali Tiger Reserve (KTR).
Objecting to such practices, a retired IFS officer said, “A similar exercise was done in Arabithittu Sanctuary and Kali. The animals didn’t survive for long. Besides, if there is any infection among these translocated herbivores, it would spread to other animals.
Also, zoo-bred animals find it difficult to adjust to the natural habitat and food practices. Officials must focus on natural upgradation of the prey base.”
D Mahesh Kumar, executive director, Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, said: “The animals were crate-trained for over three months. We have also secured an area of 2.5 acres in the wild for quarantining these herbivores. This will allow the deer to adjust to the new ecosystem. During this time, they will be tested by veterinarians for fitness and other health parameters.”
Defending the decision, Subhash K Malkhede, PCCF (wildlife), said: “Our zoos are loaded with herbivores. Beyond the carrying capacity, it isn’t easy to accommodate them. As per the law, we cannot even cull them. The only option to decongest the locations is to translocate this healthy population. KTR has less density of herbivore population. Augmenting the herbivore (prey) population will ensure improvement of carnivore density in the region. I agree these translocated animals will not survive long due to various changes in their upbringing. Nevertheless, they will support the carnivore food chain and help stabilize the population.”
Asked about possible infections, Malkhede said, “Our veterinarians have diagnosed these animals and they will be monitoring them constantly. Their digestive tract would have been suited to the zoo diet. But now, they will have to adjust to a different palatability.”
The herbivores ferried in customized trucks for over 10 hours were successfully released into the quarantine facility at Phansoli range near Dandeli with zero mortality.
Regardless of the success, the move to translocate captive-bred animals to the wild has whipped up intense debate among conservationists. While some have slammed the decision, a few others have hailed the exercise as the only method to sustain the carnivore density in the evergreen forests of Kali Tiger Reserve (KTR).
Objecting to such practices, a retired IFS officer said, “A similar exercise was done in Arabithittu Sanctuary and Kali. The animals didn’t survive for long. Besides, if there is any infection among these translocated herbivores, it would spread to other animals.
Also, zoo-bred animals find it difficult to adjust to the natural habitat and food practices. Officials must focus on natural upgradation of the prey base.”
D Mahesh Kumar, executive director, Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, said: “The animals were crate-trained for over three months. We have also secured an area of 2.5 acres in the wild for quarantining these herbivores. This will allow the deer to adjust to the new ecosystem. During this time, they will be tested by veterinarians for fitness and other health parameters.”
Defending the decision, Subhash K Malkhede, PCCF (wildlife), said: “Our zoos are loaded with herbivores. Beyond the carrying capacity, it isn’t easy to accommodate them. As per the law, we cannot even cull them. The only option to decongest the locations is to translocate this healthy population. KTR has less density of herbivore population. Augmenting the herbivore (prey) population will ensure improvement of carnivore density in the region. I agree these translocated animals will not survive long due to various changes in their upbringing. Nevertheless, they will support the carnivore food chain and help stabilize the population.”
Asked about possible infections, Malkhede said, “Our veterinarians have diagnosed these animals and they will be monitoring them constantly. Their digestive tract would have been suited to the zoo diet. But now, they will have to adjust to a different palatability.”