Heat claims lives of 11 deer in Aurangabad Zoo

Aurangabad, Maharashtra, May 1 (UNI) The soaring mercury has claimed the lives of at least 11 of 50 deer in the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC)-run Siddharth Garden and Zoo during the last one month, Zoo officials said here today.

''At least 11 deer died during the period from March 17 to April 30 due to excessive heat,'' Zoo's Livestock Supervisor Sheikh Shahed said.

There were 50 deer in the Zoo and of them 11 died due to heat.

Three have fallen ill and they are being treated under the guidance of experts of the district's Animal Husbandry department, he said.

He admitted that it was for the first time that deaths in such a large number were reported in the Zoo.

Temperatures in the city have been hovering at around 41 and 42 degree celsius, badly affecting the animals in the Zoo.

Wildlife expert and the founder member of the local Nature Lovers Forum Prof Dilip Yardi, however, strongly rejected the claim of the AMC officials that the deer died due to heat wave, saying that there may be some other reason behind the deaths which needs to be investigated.

Deer live in properly protected environ in the zoo, he argued.

It is necessary to wait for the post-mortem reports, Prof Yardi said and suggested that sick deer should be closely monitored.

When contacted, AMC Commissioner Asim Kumar Gupta said he has sought a detailed report from the Zoo officials.

UNI