Translocation of spotted deer from Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary to Buxa Tiger Reserve

As a part of the prey base augmentation programme held at the Buxa Tiger Reserve, 200 spotted deer are set to be translocated from the Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary in Birbhum to the Buxa Tiger Reserve in Alipurduar. Held on February 17, 2023, the issue of translocation has been approved by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, and Chief Wildlife Warden, West Bengal.
Established in 1977, Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary is a not-so-dense plantation located near Bolpur Santiniketan in the Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum. This lush sanctuary, which is only one kilometer from the Viswa Bharati University region, is also home to three sizable water bodies (Jheel), which attract both migratory and resident birds in large numbers. Before translocating them to Buxa Tiger Reserve, the deer were reared and brought up here.
Prey base augmentation is a scientific technique used to improve the prey base of any reserve forest or sanctuary. Increased prey availability ensures an increase in the number of tigers and other wild carnivores. In this particular case, the forest department opted for the ‘Boma’ method to capture the deer at Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary. This method entails pursuing animals through a fence that mimics a funnel, ultimately luring them into an enclosure. In order to make it opaque for the animals, the funnel tapers into an animal selection-cum-loading chute that is supported by grass mats and green net. The animals are herded into the vehicle before being transported to a different place.
The construction of 'Boma' for the deer residing in the Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary was started on March 11, 2023. On the afternoon of March 16, 2023, 86 spotted deer were loaded into three trucks. The wall of the truck was padded to avoid mechanical injury. The truck started from Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary in Birbhum on March 16, 2023, at 7 p.m. and reached the Buxa Tiger Reserve in Alipurduar at 2.10 p.m. on March 17, 2023. It covered a total distance of 570 km (approximately).
The spotted deer is also known as the chital deer or axis deer. This species of deer is native to the Indian subcontinent, with the larger males having strong antlers. Both sexes have a golden to rufous upper part that is completely covered in small white spots.
As of now, 86 spotted deer have been released in the 25th Mile area of the Buxa Tiger Reserve. Although the release operation has been successful, 5 of the deer have been found stressed and traumatized due to the consequences. The forest division at Buxa has provided all of them with the necessary treatment.