File picture of a deer

Jajpur, May 24: The forest department has sought the help of villagers to prevent rising instances of deer deaths in Jajpur district’s Bayree forest range.

The forest officials and wildlife activists are worried that as many as six deer have died within the span of a month.

“At least six deer were killed in our forest range area in a month. While four of them fell prey to poachers, two were killed by stray dogs,” said Sarat Chandra Sahoo, ranger of the Bairi forest range.

Adverse habitat situations and scarcity of drinking water force deer to come out of the forest and they fall prey in the hand of poachers and stray dogs. According to forest department sources, deer are facing a shortage of grass and drinking water inside the forest. Sources said the situation became worse after an industry was set up in the vicinity of the forest. The movement of animals were drastically restricted following the alleged dumping of the industrial waste on the forest land.

The forest department has sat up after the death of at least six deer and stepped up their activities to save and preserve the wild animals. The department has also constituted a wild animal protection committee involving residents of Amiyajhari and Bayree villages. “We are equally concerned over the rising death of deer. The departmental officials have sought our cooperation and we will certainly extend help to save the animals,” said Bhabani Sankar Khuntia, headman of Amiyajhari village.

“We will spread awareness among fellow villagers about the utility of the forest and wild animals. It is a good initiative by forest officials and we will certainly safeguard the wild animals,” said Rameswar Parida, a resident of Bayree.

The forest department has also proposed to construct water bodies in the forest, erect watch towers and take up massive plantation on denuded hills. “We have decided to construct water bodies in the forest so that the animal will not go out of the forest to take water. Also two watch towers will be erected,” Sahoo said.

to monitor the activities of the deer in the forest. Massive plantation will be taken up on the bald hills in the forest to make their habitat favourable,” Sahoo said.