Deer me, grass sweeter in Monas<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto and Theresa Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Bogor<\/p>\n
It would appear that the criticism of Governor Sutiyoso's
\ndecision to release 12 spotted deer in the National Monument
\n(Monas) park might have been wrong -- six does are now reportedly
\npregnant.<\/p>\n
Ironically, the Bogor Presidential Palace, which had earlier
\nrejected Sutiyoso's request to supply deer, can no longer provide
\nenough grass for its 600-strong herd due to the long dry season.<\/p>\n
The does, which were released at Monas park in June along with
\nthe six bucks, are expected to give birth in November and
\nDecember.<\/p>\n
The deer project leader, Hadi S. Alikodra, said that the does
\nwere impregnated before they were released as the mating season
\nfor deer was in February and March.<\/p>\n
\"They are now in a very excellent condition as they have
\nenough food and a good place. We will have more deer soon,\"
\nAlikodra, who is also an expert from the Bogor Institute of
\nAgriculture, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The deer project raised many questions as many feared that a
\ncrowded area like Monas would not be suitable for the deer.<\/p>\n
Besides the noise, the high level of air pollution around the
\npark was unhealthy and the deer would be stressed, critics said.<\/p>\n
However, Sutiyoso ignored the critics, saying the plan had
\nbeen approved by experts. He then allocated five hectares of land
\nwithin the 100-hectare Monas park for the deer, installed fences
\naround it and planted grass on it.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso had earlier asked for deer from the State
\nSecretariat, which manages the Bogor palace where hundreds of
\ndeer reside, but was rejected.<\/p>\n
He then decided to release 12 deer sourced from the National
\nIntelligence Agency (BIN), his house in Cibubur, East Jakarta,
\nand contributions from others.<\/p>\n
On June 5, President Megawati Soekarnoputri inaugurated the
\ndeer zone at Monas. One deer died before the ceremony but was
\nreplaced.<\/p>\n
Alikodra claimed that the deer would not suffer food shortages
\nas the grass planted in the park was adequate for 30 deer.<\/p>\n
He said the deer were also given additional food of 50
\nkilograms of carrots every 10 days.<\/p>\n
But the fate of the 600 deer at the Bogor palace has not been
\nas good as those in Monas since they are now forced to eat sweet
\npotatoes as there is not enough grass -- their normal food -- to
\nfeed them.<\/p>\n
Head of the maintenance and equipment division at the palace,
\nApandi, said the grass at the palace and that taken from nearby
\nMount Salak could not meet their daily consumption needs during
\nthe dry season.<\/p>\n
Apandi said that around 300 kilograms of sweet potatoes were
\npurchased each day for the deer with the price ranging from Rp
\n900 to Rp 1,200 per kilogram.<\/p>\n
\"The deer eat a small part of the grass. But they eat all
\nparts of the sweet potatoes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Apandi said the changing food of the deer would not affect
\ntheir health condition as it had been given according to an
\nexpert recommendation: Half a kilogram of sweet potatoes for each
\ndeer.<\/p>\n
Head of the animal care division at the Bogor municipal
\nAgriculture Agency, Herlin Krisnaningsih, said his office
\ncontributed hay as additional nutrition.<\/p>\n
\"Starting this evening we will give four sacks of hay produced
\nby the National Research and Development Center,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/deer-me-grass-sweeter-in-monas-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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