- Supreme Court allows Deer Park in Delhi to operate as mini zoo with CZA approval only
- Deer population capped at 38 with specific male-to-female sex ratio mandated
- Remaining deer to be relocated to two tiger reserves in Rajasthan under supervision
The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the Deer Park in south Delhi can continue to function as a "mini zoo" only with the approval of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) and with a sharply reduced deer population capped at 38. The order paves the way for relocating the remaining deer to two tiger reserves in Rajasthan.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said the retention of up to 38 deer at the AN Jha Deer Park would be allowed strictly subject to necessary approvals from the CZA, as recommended by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC).
The court also directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to upgrade infrastructure, logistics, and trained manpower for managing the reduced population. It specified that the retained deer must have an optimal sex ratio of 15 males to 23 females.
The bench emphasised that the 10-acre park must continue to be maintained as a "protected forest", adding that its status must not be altered under any circumstances in the future.
The directions came while hearing a plea filed by NGO New Delhi Nature Society, which had objected to shifting deer from the park to Rajasthan's Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve and Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve. So far, 260 deer have already been relocated.
The court had earlier tasked the CEC with inspecting the park and the relocation sites. The committee backed the translocation, noting that the park lacks the capacity to sustain a large deer population.
Highlighting animal welfare concerns, the bench observed that deer, being wildlife, should not be confined to restrictive enclosures except in exceptional and legally justified circumstances.
The CEC also pointed out that the CZA had withdrawn the park's "mini-zoo" recognition due to repeated violations of zoo management norms, failure to control the deer population, and the lapse of its licence in August 2021.
In November 2025, the Supreme Court had paused further translocation and asked the CEC to assess key issues, including the park's carrying capacity and the condition of relocated animals.
Accepting the committee's findings, the court noted that the park can "sustainably and humanely" accommodate only 38 spotted deer under existing norms. As per guidelines, a minimum of 1,500 square metres of enclosure space is required per pair of deer. With an estimated usable area of around 29,000 square metres, the park can support roughly 19 pairs.
The court ordered that further translocation be carried out in a time-bound manner, strictly following prescribed rules and under CEC supervision. Authorities must adhere to protocols covering capture, veterinary care, transportation, acclimatisation, and post-release monitoring.
The CEC report cautioned that deer raised in controlled conditions may struggle to adapt to open forest ecosystems, making abrupt relocation potentially harmful.
Taking note of gaps in existing legal frameworks governing wildlife translocation, the court directed the Union environment ministry to review the CEC's draft guidelines within six months and submit a compliance report.
"These guidelines deserve to be, and shall be, imparted statutory status," the bench said, posting the matter for further monitoring on January 19 next year.
