Pune: Katraj Zoo all set to bring Mouse Deer
Pune: Katraj Zoo all set to bring Mouse Deer
A new breed of deer is going to be introduced in the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park and Wildlife Research Center in Katraj which will attract more tourists.Â
16 April 2024
By Payoshi Bisht
Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, popularly known as Katraj Zoo, is all set to be home to a group of rare animal species, particularly the famous breed of deer known as the mouse deer. Katraj Zoo proposed the idea to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) of India, from which they have received a green signal for the addition of these rare species in their zoo. The CZA is a governmental body responsible for maintaining and overlooking zoological parks in India.
The plan is to bring in 8 male and 12 female mouse deers from a zoological park in Hyderabad to one in Pune, which is sanctioned by the state forest department. In order to accommodate these deer, a space of about 514 sq.m is being constructed from where the visitors can view them.
The mouse deer is considered to be the smallest breed in terms of size with a small head, nostrils like those of a rat and prickles like that of a musk deer. They are about 25-30 cm tall. There are two kinds of mouse deer. One of them is known as the Asian Fallow Deer and the other is known as the African Fallow Deer, which is found in the regions of West and Central Africa. The Asian breed is mostly found in the region of South India and on the eastern coast of Odisha.
These deer usually like to build their homes in rocky regions with ponds. They love water and their diet mostly consists of wild grass, leaves, plants and fallen fruits.
In a telephonic conversation, Dr. Rajkumar Jadhav, the director of Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, spoke about the park being one of its kind in Pune. The construction of the space for these deer is still under progress and is yet to be concluded. When asked about the tentative time of completion, Dr. Jadhav said that it will take at least 8-9 months for the space to be ready. They are also planning to get the deer from zoos across India which are successfully breeding mouse deer.
