Five sambar deer from Coimbatore's VOC Park Zoo were released into the Siruvani forest area on July 20, 2024. This relocation is part of the ongoing efforts to move animals from the zoo following its loss of biological park status.
Coimbatore: The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has been taking steps to relocate animals from the VOC Park Zoo in Coimbatore after the Central Government revoked its biological park status. Following orders from the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden in Chennai, the process of transferring wild animals from the zoo to forest areas has been underway.
As part of this initiative, spotted deer from the VOC Park Zoo were released into dense forest areas in May. Subsequently, plans were made to relocate sambar deer from the zoo. Fecal pellets of the sambar deer were sent to the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC) in Vandalur for analysis, which confirmed that the deer were free from tuberculosis.
In March 2024, the concentrated feed given to the deer was discontinued, and they were provided with more green fodder and plant species similar to those found in the foothills of the Siruvani mountains. To facilitate the transfer, the Coimbatore Corporation's mini lorry was fitted with a cage by the Forest Department.
On July 4, 2024, five sambar deer were released into the Bolampatti Reserve Forest, followed by six more on July 12, 2024. Today (July 20, 2024), under the leadership of the Coimbatore District Forest Officer, a team comprising Coimbatore Forest Range staff, Boluvampatti Forest staff, the Coimbatore Forest Division's veterinary officer, the director of VOC Park Zoo, forest department officials, and Coimbatore Corporation officials, supervised the relocation of five more sambar deer (3 adult males and 2 adult females).
The deer were loaded into a specially designed cage vehicle in the morning and released at around 1:00 PM in the forest area near the Filter House in the foothills of Siruvani mountains. A monitoring team has been set up to observe the released sambar deer, keeping track of their feeding habits, water consumption, and overall health in their new habitat.
As part of this initiative, spotted deer from the VOC Park Zoo were released into dense forest areas in May. Subsequently, plans were made to relocate sambar deer from the zoo. Fecal pellets of the sambar deer were sent to the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC) in Vandalur for analysis, which confirmed that the deer were free from tuberculosis.
In March 2024, the concentrated feed given to the deer was discontinued, and they were provided with more green fodder and plant species similar to those found in the foothills of the Siruvani mountains. To facilitate the transfer, the Coimbatore Corporation's mini lorry was fitted with a cage by the Forest Department.
On July 4, 2024, five sambar deer were released into the Bolampatti Reserve Forest, followed by six more on July 12, 2024. Today (July 20, 2024), under the leadership of the Coimbatore District Forest Officer, a team comprising Coimbatore Forest Range staff, Boluvampatti Forest staff, the Coimbatore Forest Division's veterinary officer, the director of VOC Park Zoo, forest department officials, and Coimbatore Corporation officials, supervised the relocation of five more sambar deer (3 adult males and 2 adult females).
The deer were loaded into a specially designed cage vehicle in the morning and released at around 1:00 PM in the forest area near the Filter House in the foothills of Siruvani mountains. A monitoring team has been set up to observe the released sambar deer, keeping track of their feeding habits, water consumption, and overall health in their new habitat.