Dalma’s Deer Venture Onto NH-33 in Search of Water and Food

Jamshedpur:

A severe heatwave gripping Jharkhand has begun taking a heavy toll on wildlife. Deprived of adequate water and food resources in their natural habitats, wild animals are increasingly venturing out of the forests and into human settlements.

In a recent incident, a spotted deer (Cheetal) strayed out of the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary and entered the premises of the Van Palashi Hotel located on the Tata-Ranchi National Highway (NH-33).

Key Highlights of the Incident

• The Incident: On Friday night, a spotted deer wandered out of the wild and entered a local highway hotel, causing temporary panic and commotion among staff and guests.
• The Root Cause: Local villagers and representatives from Chandil noted that 76 spotted deer were recently brought to the sanctuary from the Maithon Dam Deer Park. Since being released into the open forest, these deer have been struggling to cope with the intense heat, moving toward villages in a desperate search for food and water.
• Forest Department Response: The forest department has stated it is currently unable to provide an exact count of the surviving deer. However, officials claim that all the spotted deer are healthy and that camera traps have been set up to monitor their movements closely.