Monas deer population explodes<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The city has become so crowded that even the deer in the National
\nMonument Park in Central Jakarta are apparently having trouble
\nfinding a little elbowroom, or is that \"hoof room\".<\/p>\n
The population of spotted deer in the park has soared to 87,
\nfrom 12 does and bucks released by Governor Sutiyoso two years
\nago.<\/p>\n
\"The ideal population density in the deer zone, as recommended
\nby experts from the Bogor Institute of Agriculture, is 50,\" said
\nSri Mulyono, the head of Ragunan Zoo, which is responsible for
\nthe health and care of Monas' deer.<\/p>\n
Overpopulation could spell trouble for the deer, because it
\nwould mean food shortages and a lack of space to roam freely.<\/p>\n
Sri said he had recommended that some of the deer be moved to
\nthe zoo, but had yet to receive a response from the governor.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso is in South Africa and will return on Dec. 3.<\/p>\n
\"Some mayors in Jakarta have also expressed interest in
\nreleasing some of the deer in other parks across the capital, but
\nwe do not think this is a good idea because I doubt the deer
\nwould be properly looked after,\" Sri said.<\/p>\n
He said spotted deer were sensitive creatures that did not
\nreact well to noise and pollution.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso set aside five hectares of land within the 100-
\nhectare Monas park to create a \"deer zone\" in 2003, ignoring
\ncritics who said the deer would not be able to survive in the
\nheart of the bustling and noisy capital.<\/p>\n
The deer released in Monas came from the grounds of the
\nNational Intelligence Agency headquarters, the governor's house
\nin Cibubur, East Jakarta, and from private donors.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri inaugurated the deer zone on
\nJune 5, 2003. One deer died before the ceremony but was
\nimmediately replaced.<\/p>\n
According to Sri, each deer is valued at Rp 10 million.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/monas-deer-population-explodes-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }