Herd of deer spotted eating garbage at Mumbai’s Sanjay Gandhi National Park

SGNP officials blame film crew, say they have fined them ₹5,000 for leaving trash at the site.

Images and a video of a herd of spotted deer feeding on garbage on May 12, near the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) office area – towards the Borivli end – has gone viral on social media.

On May 12, a herd of deer spotted the garbage bags near the SGNP office and started feeding on it. (HT Photo)

SGNP officials said they had taken cognisance of the issue and fined a Mumbai-based film shooting group ₹5,000 for leaving the trash at the site.

On Thursday, wildlife warden, Thane, and animal rescue officer from Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare, Pawan Sharma filed a complaint, raising the issue with SGNP authorities.

“It is not only the duty of the forest department, but also of the visitors, to ensure that garbage is well-managed. SGNP is a protected area and needs to be respected as one. There is an identity shift, where people consider it a picnic spot or a shooting venue,” he said.

Citizens need to be reminded that their actions can affect the wildlife, said Sharma.

Meanwhile, SGNP officers said it was a one-off issue and the park is overall much cleaner than others across the country.