In a significant environmental protection ruling, the Supreme Court of India intervened to safeguard hundreds of spotted deer living in the iconic A.N. Jha Deer Park at Hauz Khas, New Delhi, after finding alarming mismanagement in their upkeep and widespread violations during their relocation to Rajasthan. The Court noted that the Deer Park, once cherished as one of the “lungs of Delhi,” has long suffered from overcrowding, lack of adequate veterinary care, poor enclosure conditions, and failure to control population growth — despite repeated warnings by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA). It observed that the Delhi Development Authority allowed the deer population to expand beyond sustainable levels while continuing commercial and non-conservation activities inside the designated ecological zone. 2
The bench expressed strong displeasure over the chaotic and unsafe manner in which 261 deer were previously translocated to two tiger reserves in Rajasthan — Mukundara Hills and Ramgarh Vishdhari — without proper tagging, ecological feasibility assessment, medical screening, or survival monitoring. Disturbing allegations were documented, including overcrowded transport vehicles, movement of pregnant and juvenile animals, and post-release deaths due to starvation or predation, raising serious questions about animal welfare and accountability of authorities involved. The Court noted that these practices violated Wild Life (Protection) Act, National Zoo Policy, and IUCN standards for scientific wildlife relocation. 2
To prevent further harm, the Supreme Court has halted any more translocations and assigned the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to conduct a rigorous on-ground survey of both the Deer Park and the Rajasthan reserves. The panel must report on the exact deer population, ecological carrying capacity, habitat conditions, survival status of relocated animals, and propose a lawful, humane roadmap for future action. The DDA has also been ordered to justify unexplained loss of designated enclosure land and prohibited from hosting commercial/private events inside the park. 2
Emphasizing Articles 48A, 51A(g), and 21 of the Constitution, the Court underscored that wildlife cannot be treated as an administrative inconvenience and that conservation requires compassion, science-based planning, and intergenerational environmental responsibility. The matter will next be heard in March 2026, after the committee’s findings are submitted, marking a pivotal moment for the protection of urban wildlife habitats in the national capital.
New Delhi Nature Society v. Director Horticulture, DDA & Ors., 26-11-2025