From Lucknow to Africa, deer may travel to Noida biodiversity park soon

Noida: The Noida Authority is planning to set up an enclosure for deer on a 30-acre plot within the existing 110-acre Biodiversity Park in Sector 91. At least 130 deer of different species will be brought in from zoos in Kanpur, Hyderabad, Lucknow and even Africa.
According to officials, the project is estimated to cost Rs 40 crore, and the proposal will be presented to the Authority board for approval.Developing the park will significantly contribute to biodiversity conservation, officials said, adding that the deer population is decreasing in the region, and it is essential to develop a park for their conservation.
The park is expected to attract visitors from across the district as well as other parts of NCR and neighbouring cities. The attraction, which will have facilities to provide visitors with information about deer and other wild animals, will charge an entry fee which will generate revenue for the Authority.
Some of the proposed species to be brought to the park include mouse deer from Hyderabad Zoo, brow-antlered deer, hog deer, swamp deer, and sambar deer, Indian antelopes (blackbuck, chinkara, chowsingha), spotted deer from Lucknow and Kanpur Zoos, as well as African antelopes (springbok, impala, wildebeest, lesser kudu) to be imported from Africa.
The proposed park will feature aisles, visitor amenities, administrative and veterinary health infrastructure, designed according to the Recognition of Zoo Rules. Construction will commence after the master layout plan receives approval from the Central Zoo Authority, officials said.
The deer park will be completed in phase one, with the total financial budget covered by the capital outlay and annual maintenance budget approved by the Noida Authority.
The Authority had previously consulted former chief forest conservators on the development of the deer park, including space requirements and providing a natural environment for the deer.
The Biodiversity Park, Noida's largest park, is divided into four natural parts and biomes based on soil and geology — Kohi or hilly tracts, Bangar or level mainland, Khadar or sandy riverain of the Yamuna, and Dabar or low-lying land subject to seasonal flooding.
Constructed at a cost of Rs 37 crore, the park features over 100 species of indigenous plants and more than 120 species of herbs and other plants.