KANPUR: A
deer safari
is likely to be inaugurated by chief minister
Akhilesh Yadav at Reserve Fisher Forest area in
Etawah
on October 6 in the ongoing Wildlife week, which began on Saturday.
In the first phase, 10 chitals, also known as spotted deer or axis deer, have been introduced at the safari on Friday. More varieties of deer would be shifted from Lucknow and Kanpur zoos in the coming days.
The safari has been developed in an an area of around 34 hectares of the total 350 hectares of land in the forest. It is located close to the lion safari.
A veterinary hospital and fodder plot has also been developed within the premises for the animals to have natural feed.
Sources said that 10 chitals (five males and five females) were transported from Lucknow zoo on Friday. As per the CZA directives, the animals have been kept at the quarantine zone in the safari. Nearly 50 deer will be housed in the safari.
Deputy director, lion safari,
Anil Patel said that safari will not be thrown open for visitors immediately. "For nearly three weeks, we are going to monitor the activity of the animals and how they use the area. Thereafter,
CZA team
will inspect the safari give feasibility (final) report. Tthe visitors will be allowed entry after that. It could probably be by November-end or first week of December," he said.
A couple of roads have been laid through which visitors can go around the enclosures.
On September 18, a two-member CZA team arrived in Etawah to inspect the site proposed for deer safari and took stock of the various facilities.