296 Deer from Cuttack Deer Park to Find New Home in Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary

Cuttack: Responding to the directives from the Orissa High Court and warnings from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), the Forest department has commenced the process of relocating 296 deer from Cuttack’s Deer Park to the Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary.

The animals will be shifted to a specially designated enclosure spanning 3.5 hectares of forest land in Ambilo within the sanctuary. To align with CZA standards, the relocation will be carried out in phases, as announced by Cuttack City DFO Ajit Kumar Satapathy.

Originally established in 1981 by the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) with an initial area of 2.5 acres, the Deer Park initially housed only five deer. Over time, the deer population surged to 296, leading to challenges of overcrowding.

CZA guidelines mandate that only 15 deer can be housed within 2.5 acres of land. Beyond congestion concerns, the presence of 33 KV electric wires over the park poses potential threats to the animals’ safety.