Arabithittu to house deer at St John's hospital park

The Forest Department has begun preparations to shift a herd of about 45 deer housed at the deer park run by St John's Medical College Hospital to Arabithittu sanctuary near Hunsur.

The hospital had been issued notice for keeping the spotted deer without the necessary permission from the zoo authority. Though not an endangered species, chital is protected under Schedule 3 of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act.

On Tuesday, officials from the Bannerghatta Biological Park took blood samples from several individuals in the herd to assess their health status. The department wants to ensure that the animals do not cause a problem in the natural forests of Arabithittu.

"The report will be given to the department in a day or two. Though the animals looked fine, the blood work will show if there are infections which can pose a threat to the natural environment," an official told DH.

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Sporadic complaints about the hospital's deer park have reached the department for over five years now. The hospital authorities were told to shut it down more than once, a senior official said.

The deer will be kept in an enclosure at Arabithittu for a few months before a soft release.

"We want to ensure that the animals have the skills necessary to survive in a natural environment. From foraging to avoiding predators, the animals need to learn and adapt to the new environment if they have to survive," the official added.