History of Nepalese Deer Living in Bogor Palace

Helloindonesia.id – The deer in the courtyard of the Bogor Palace, the palace which coincides with the Botanical Gardens, is an interesting sight when passing in front of the Palace. The deer will appear, filling the field at around 9 in the morning. When the sun begins to warm up, no longer is the light protected by the trees or the white walls of the Palace.

Those who go to Bogor, and bring children, I suggest you should go to this place. See the sight of the spotted deer while feeding them.

Feeding? Yes, the deer, it is not awkward to get close to the fence, stick out his head, and chew carrots or vegetables that are offered directly by the visitor’s hand.

The number of deer in the Bogor Palace is now around 600 tails. If it is morning to noon, they take a walk, run, and are clearly visible from the highway, from inside the car, from the angkot. But, in the afternoon and evening, they disappeared.

Enter the cage? I do not know. But, from a distance, if I crossed the place above nine o’clock at night, I saw hordes of deer “sleeping” with the distance between them so close. Of course the vocabulary of “sleep” is not right, so in fact their bodies are not sprawled, not stretched out, on the ground and – maybe their eyes are not brittle. Maybe it’s more suitable: they lie down. Clocking down and not moving … .

The existence of deer in Bogor Palace has a long history. The kneeling deer was imported from Nepal in 1808. That brought in the British Governor General Sir Thomas Raffles, a man who deeply loved the world of plants and animals. Sir Raffles apparently wanted another scene in front of his white-painted palace. Then he brought six deer from Nepal.

Apparently, the six deer were at home with cold, airy Bogor air which was suitable for “marriage.” So, they also succeeded in giving birth. Once upon a time the population reached more than 900 tails. With an area of around 28.4 hectares in Bogor Palace, ideally there are no more than 600 deer there.

The large amount is certainly not healthy for the deer – it also burdens the Palace’s household pockets which feed every day. So, even the deer were then given everywhere. Those who want to ask can also. The method is to send a letter of request to the President’s Secretary. The Palace staff will then survey: whether the applicants, individuals or institutions are eligible to get the deer. Which is very much a consideration, the area of land owned by the applicant.

The president most often associated with deer is Abdurrahman Wahid aka Gus Dur. When he was president – if brief – Gus Dur often visited the Bogor Palace. One time the news appeared, a number of deer had been slaughtered to be eaten by guests of the palace. I have never heard of an official rebuttal to this news. But, if that is true, I think it’s fine. What is the wrong if the advantages? Also, isn’t venison halal?

Now, about the deer of the Bogor Palace, two of them have been brought by Alwi Shihab, Foreign Minister in the era of Gus Dur. Alwi apparently also wanted her yard in the Ciganjur area, South Jakarta, there was a “sight” of deer like in the Bogor Palace. A pair of deer, females and males were also transported and released in their yard after being surveyed by Bogor Palace officials.

Having enjoyed life in the house of the sharp-nosed politician, one of the deer later died. There is no official statement, why the deer died, because of illness or, is it stressful to see politicians passing by there. There was also no news, then the Bogor Palace sent a replacement for the poor deer.

Back to the deer at the Bogor Palace, if one day you go to Bogor, and bring children, once again I suggest, early in the morning – better on Sunday – you take the children to the Bogor Palace, see and feed the deer.

In front of the palace fence there are carrot and vegetable sellers whose prices are Rp 1,000 per bundle. Once you raise the carrot, the deer approach, not shy ….