NEWS
ANALYSIS
SPECIALS
INTERVIEW
CAMPAIGN TRAIL
CONSTITUENCY
ISSUES
GALLERY
MANIFESTOS
INDIA SPEAKS!
COUNTDOWN
CHAT
PREVIOUS RESULTS
SCHEDULE
DISCUSSION GROUP

Vasectomy on deer kicks up solid row

D Jose in Thiruvananthapuram

Too many deer, and too little room.

The authorities of a deer park near Kochi in Kerala would give many things for help on this problem. Not that they haven't tried anything themselves. But that move, unfortunately, has landed them in fresh trouble.

When the deer population at the park showed every sign of exploding its fences, the authorities decided to get on with Operation Sterilisation. Only, the animal lovers around came to know of it and raised enough resistance that the vets had to leave off before they really got going.

The objections peaked mainly after the death of some deer, allegedly after sterilisation.

Thus, for now, the Society for the Preservation of Hill Palace Premises, which manages the park in Tripunithara, has suspended its vasectomy programme.

The park authorities said they had no option but sterilise since the space and funds under their command were limited. Hill Palace Society executive officer R Purushothaman said the park was not sufficient for the burgeoning growth of the occupants.

The number of spotted deer had increased from 20 to 76 in the last seven years. The population of sambhars went up from six to 18. "We need a large sum of money to maintain the animals. What we get from the government by way of grant is very limited," he said.

Under such conditions, the only option before the authorities was mass sterilisation since the law did not permit freeing the animals into forests or handing them over to private parties. "We had considered the option of transferring the excess number to other parks and zoos. But the chief wildlife warden of the Government of Kerala expressed difficulty in conceding the demand since the capacity in other parks and zoos was limited," Purushothaman said.

The government, he continued, also rejected the option of transferring the animals to the forests since they are likely to carry germs and viruses and may infect wildlife.

Purushothaman claimed that the chief wildlife warden had approved the sterilisation programme.

Interestingly, environmentalists and animal lovers disagree on whether to sterilise or not. While one section maintained that it was cruel and unscientific, the other did not object to it as long as it was done scientifically. The latter said the unrestrained growth of animals in zoos and parks is a serious problem, and has to be addressed with a knife if necessary.

Noted freedom fighter and environmentalist M P Udhayabhanu said he did not consider it wrong to sterilise He told rediff.com that environmentalists should be realistic.

"In nature we have the balancing mechanism. The carnivorous creatures play a big role in maintaining the equilibrium. In captive conditions, we must adopt scientific methods. There is nothing wrong in the programme adopted by the deer park authorities," he said.

But to the other section, 'it is too cruel to sterilise the dump creatures'. World Wide Fund for Nature India director Alex Abraham said his organisation had suggested expanding the space in the park to accommodate the new-borns. Artificial methods for controlling the growth of wild animals were not foolproof, according to him. An earlier attempt to bring to heel wild dogs by shooting them proved counterproductive as their population multiplied.

"When one dominant male in one herd is killed, many in the second line assume the dominant position leading to the increase of the reproductive group," he argued.

Alex said the management of the Society of Hill Palace Premises had adopted the method without considering scientific aspects. An expert, he went on, has been deputed to study the death of the animals, which might have been caused by over-dosage.

He alleged the park authorities had tried to conceal the deaths by burying the bodies without subjecting them to post-mortem. The forest officials exhumed the bodies following a hue and cry. The results are awaited.

The park authorities, for their part, denied the charge that the deer died under the knife. All the animals that have been sterilised, they maintained, were hale and hearty. Only one aged deer and a peacock had died in the park recently, and those deaths were normal.

The local people, who are agitating before the park, suspect foul play. They alleged that the deaths occurred during the tranquillisation process, and have demanded an inquiry.

Tell us what you think of this report