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Five spotted deer die in Tripura sanctuary
by Pinaki Das

          Agartala: Five spotted deer have died in the Sipahijala Deer Wildlife Sanctuary during the past fortnight. The actual number of deaths may be several more. The cause of death is not yet ascertained. Zoological authorities have said that all five deer had died of cardiac arrest. The 35-year-old deer park has over 400 deer, informed zoo curator Gautam Karmaka. Karmaka said that the deer probably died of cardiac shock brought on by the sudden change in weather. He said that the deer, all female, had died on April 12. Their carcasses were found after a thunderstorm, he added. The lack of protective sheds and enclosures within the wildlife park was also suggested as a cause for the deaths. "We have sent a sample of the dead deer for postmortem to the Guwahati Agriculture University to determine the actual cause of death, but prima facie evidence shows that they all died due to cardiac arrest," said Karmakar. Plans are now afoot to reduce the deer population in the Sipahijala sanctuary, and shift some of the animals to other forest ranges, including one at Hatipara, which is near the Agartala Airport. In the last eigh months, there have been 13 recorded deaths of deer. In September, eight spotted deer died of pneumonia in the same zoo. The Sipahijala Wildlife Sanctuary and Zoo is located 25 km south of Agartala and is home to about 450 animals belonging to 46 different species.
-April 26,  2007