Over 30 deer die every year at University of Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: The recent case of feral dogs killing a spotted deer at the University of Hyderabad campus isn’t a stray incident. Varsity students say at least 30 to 40 of these animal die every year — most due to attacks by dogs.
In fact, according to Wild Lens, a biodiversity conservation group run by UoH students, at least 250 to 300 spotted deer have died on campus in the last five years.
“The figure would be much higher if we take the last 10 years data of deer deaths into consideration,” Karthick Jirra, a member of the group and a PhD student from UoH told TOI. This year alone, this is the sixth deer killed since February.
Despite multiple requests to the GHMC from students and management, little action has been taken to resolve the issue, students said. They explained how the deer are usually attacked by feral dogs during summers due to water scarcity. “Most of the dogs try to protect the scarce water resources from wild animals in the dense forest area within the campus,” a student explained. Apart from deer, the dogs also frequently kill monitor lizards and mammals like wild boars.
When asked, GHMC officials said that they have acted whenever there has been a complaint and taken the dogs away. However, since it is illegal for an individual, RWA or estate management to remove or relocate dogs — under section 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 — the dogs are released just outside. “We regularly take up their complaints, pick up feral dogs, conduct birth control surgery, and bring them back near the campus. We have also spoken to NGOs that have set up water bowls for the dogs. Such instances of killing deer has now reduced over the years,” said Dr David Wilson, chief veterinary officer of GHMC.