More than two years ago Pashupatinath Area Development Trust (PADT) that manages the park formed a committee for moving the deer herd to other parks or nearby forests in collaboration with National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) and the Central Zoo in Jawlakhel. [break]
But the initiative could not move ahead as planned and the problems persist. As a result many deer are suffering from several kinds of diseases and the erstwhile green park is fast turning into barren land due to over grazing.
The park started with 32 deer brought from the Central Zoo and now their number has grown to 100, which is a threefold increase. The rising number of deer is straining the park´s capacity.
According to the officials of PADT, the park, spread across 90 ropanis, is enough for 70 deer but is unable sustain additional 30 deer.
“We are trying our best to relocate half of deer population from the park as soon as possible,” says Narottam Vaidya, treasurer of PADT.
“We have also started planting trees inside the park to replenish the declining vegetation,” adds Vaidya.
As the park has already lost it greenery, PADT is providing other minerals and protein based food like gram, maize and wheat to the deer.
“We provide them food twice a day which is sufficient for them,” says Gauri Shankar Parajuli, administrative officer at PADT. Likewise, the Central Veterinary Hospital has been conducting regular checkups of the deer since the time the park was established. The park has two special rooms for deer that are sick and in need of treatment. There is also an office of warden, who takes care of the deer and feeds them on time.
The park attracts many foreigners but Nepalis are not allowed to visit the park. According to the PADT, the park falls on one of the conservational parks so not all people are welcome. “Some foreigners cannot visit other wildlife conservation parks because they are far from Kathmandu,” says Parajuli.
“So, we are trying to provide that experience inside the valley,” he adds. According to PADT, though Nepalis are not allowed to enter the park nowadays, they will soon open the park for all once the deer are shifted and plantation is done.
Mrigasthali was built by PADT with the support of NTNC, DNPWC and Central Zoo to reflect a myth according to which lord Shiva changed himself into a deer and spent sometime in the forest.
“This park carries huge religious importance,” says Parajuli. “But we also stand to gain from environment perspectives if the park is well maintained,” adds Parajuli.
However, saliva produced by deer contains acid which is harmful for the whole environment, according to veterinary doctors. According to PADT officials, huge number of deer means production of high quantity of saliva that affect plants and people alike.
“Though there hasn´t been a case in which deer of saliva has affected a person, doctors say the saliva does contain acid,” Parajuli.
“The park will face a lot of damage if they are not shifted to some other areas as soon as possible because the number of deer is increasing every year,” shares Parajuli.
Deer give birth twice a year which increases their number every year, says Parajuli, and yet they are not provided any kind of contraceptive measure to control their population.
Sushil Nahata
Member Secretary
Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT)
What is the reason behind the speedy growth of deer in Mrigasthali Batika?
Female deer go through breeding process twice a year. It increases the number of deer every year. None of the deer have been sterilized so far hence their population is increasing unchecked.
If sterilization can control deer population, why has PADT not done so?
We did not discuss the issue in the beginning and now it is troubling us. Our organization decided not to follow the sterilization process because it is not possible and we also believe in the natural flow.
So how is the PADT planning to solve this problem?
We are trying to shift some deer to other place as Mrigasthali cannot support such a huge number of deer for a long time. But the problem is that deer brought up in private parks would have adjusted with the environment of the park and it is very difficult for them to adjust in other kinds of surrounding. Some of them can survive but it takes a lot of time to cope with the new environment.
What is the maximum capacity of Mrigasthali Batika?
This park is spread in an area of 90 ropanis of land, which is enough to accommodate 70 deer. But now more than 100 deer are living inside the park. We have to shift half of them to other places to ensure the survival of both the deer and the park.
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