The Supreme Court of India has upheld the relocation of deer from A.N. Jha Deer Park to tiger reserves in Rajasthan, while also laying down comprehensive directions to regulate wildlife translocation across the country.
A Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta affirmed the decision of the Delhi High Court permitting relocation outside Delhi, with limited retention of deer within the park.Accepting the report of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), the Court closed the proceedings and directed authorities to implement a scientific, time-bound translocation plan. It ordered that all CEC recommendations be followed under its supervision and in line with draft animal translocation guidelines.
The Court permitted retention of up to 38 deer at the park, subject to approvals from the Central Zoo Authority. It directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to upgrade infrastructure, logistics, and trained personnel for managing the retained population, and to maintain an optimal sex ratio of 15 males to 23 females. If these conditions cannot be met, the DDA has been asked to seek further directions from the Court.
The Bench further ordered strict compliance with all other CEC recommendations and emphasised that the park, already declared a protected forest, must retain its status without any alteration in the future.
In a significant step, the Court directed the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change to examine and implement, within six months, the CEC’s draft national guidelines on wildlife translocation. These guidelines cover scientific protocols, tagging, transportation, veterinary safeguards, ecological feasibility, and post-release monitoring, and are to be granted statutory backing. A compliance report is to be filed before the Court.
The case originated from a challenge to the proposed relocation of deer from A.N. Jha Deer Park to Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve and Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve. The petitioner, an environmental organisation, opposed the move and instead sought expansion of habitat within the park. Authorities, however, cited limited carrying capacity, a rising deer population, and ecological risks such as poaching to justify relocation.
The Delhi High Court had earlier disposed of the matter after recording assurances from the DDA that only a small number of deer would be retained. The petitioner then approached the Supreme Court, which on November 26, 2025, temporarily halted the translocation after noting a distressed pattern of negligence by the DDA and ordered an inquiry.
It also directed the CEC to examine issues including reduction in the park’s area and the use of the space for commercial events.
Following submission of the CEC report, the Court accepted its findings that the park could sustainably support only 38 deer as per scientific standards laid down by the Central Zoo Authority. The report also noted that the park had lost its mini zoo status due to non-compliance with statutory norms and that unchecked population growth made continued retention impractical.
Endorsing these conclusions, the Court held that translocation was scientifically justified, legally permissible, and ecologically beneficial, particularly for strengthening the prey base in tiger reserves.
The petition was accordingly disposed of, with directions for compliance monitoring and submission of a report, especially on implementation of national guidelines, by January 19, 2027.
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