Palace lacks grass for deer

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