Palace lacks grass for deer

BOGOR: The Bogor Palace has been forced to buy grass to feed its 622 deer due to a lack of green grass in the palace compound.

Because of a lack of rain, much of the grass on the grounds of the palace has turned yellow. And the water level in the pond that is used to water the yard has also decreased, according to Atika Sumantri, head of household affairs for the palace.

She said that once every two days, the palace bought 100 sacks of grass for Rp 200,000 from the Bogor Agricultural Agency.

"We have to buy the grass, no matter how expensive it is, because otherwise the deer would die," she said on Monday.

None of the deer at the palace have died of hunger, but some have died apparently because of the stress caused by the presence of visitors.

Apandi, the head of the maintenance unit at the palace, said the lack of water for the palace grounds was not only the result of the dry season, but was also the result of repairs being carried out on the irrigation system.--JP