Call gets louder for Avinashi deer park as chital numbers grow

The boom in the deer population has led to many instances of man-animal conflicts as the animals stray onto farmlands to graze and national highways resulting in fatalities. Last Thursday, five spotted deer were killed after they were mowed down by vehicles on the Chennai-Cochin National Highway at Thekkalur in Tirupur district. More than 20 chital died in the locality within a month. 

While the Forest Department claims that there are close to 400 deer in the vicinity, villagers claim the number stands at 1,000. Surprisingly, there is no forest at Thekkalur. The nearest forest is over 30 km away. Camped on farmlands they are often killed by stray dogs and are even poached for their meat. 

They also put farmers in a fix as they feast on their produce. For the last 10 years, villagers have been demanding relocation of the deer population or to establish a deer sanctuary. Forest officers claim that the demands cannot be fulfilled due to practical reasons. 

In 1992, two calves, a male and a female aged about two years strayed from the Sirumugai forest in Coimbatore district. Walking down the dry Kousika river bed they reached a farmland owned by K Rangasamy in Tirupur district. The doe gave birth to a calf in 1993. This small group multiplied and soon their number grew close to 1,000. 

Maan Karar (deer man) is pseudonym given to R Gurusamy (65) of Samandhankottai by farmers and Forest department staff. “Some mistake me for someone who illegally rears deer and come to me for meat,” he told DTNext with a smile. His 50 acre land is home to many deer, as he, unlike other farmers, does not find them a nuisance. 

“I never approach them unless they are injured. I don’t entertain strangers as the deer get startled,” he said. About 15 years ago he started filling a shallow mud tank with water for the deer to quench their thirst. He had to fill it twice a day as water would permeate through the soil. With the help of sponsors, he built a cement tank and now regularly fills them. When a deer is injured, people contact Gurusamy. He is happy to attend such calls and treat many injured deer.