00:01These deer have changed Gurusami's life.
00:05It all started with just a few of them.
00:08Today, there are a whole lot more.
00:11And that's where the trouble begins.
00:15We're in Purupalayam, a village in northern Tamil Nadu.
00:20Gurusami has given up much of his farmland so the deer could stay.
00:27I protect the deer from stray dogs and other animals that could harm them.
00:31I also make sure they have water, food, and shelter.
00:35That's why the deer have chosen to stay here.
00:41Nearly 30 years ago, Gurusami spotted the deer grazing alongside his goats.
00:46Instead of driving them away, he let them stay.
00:51As more deer arrived, he gradually gave up much of his farmland for them.
00:57Today, more than 35 acres of dense shrubs and trees have become a refuge for the herd.
01:08Summer has become especially hard for the deer.
01:11As nearby water sources dry up, they move into surrounding farmland in search of food and water.
01:19That's created tension with other farmers because the animals often damage crops.
01:25Many people try to drive them away with dogs and firecrackers.
01:30What Gurusami sees as a sanctuary, many neighboring farmers see as a problem.
01:36As the deer wander into surrounding farmland, they often eat and trample crops.
01:44We can't farm peacefully anymore because of the growing number of deer.
01:49Without proper fencing, it's almost impossible to protect young coconut saplings and other crops from damage.
01:57We had to spend nearly five lakh rupees to fence our land, all because of the deer problem.
02:04For farmers like us, that's a huge financial burden.
02:10Many farmers want the deer relocated, but moving them is much easier said than done.
02:18Gurusami believes the animals need a protected place to live.
02:21As environmental activist Ravindran explains, it's a conflict with no easy solution.
02:29The real challenge is that capturing and relocating deer is extremely difficult.
02:34Unlike elephants, deer are very sensitive animals and often cannot survive being tranquilized.
02:43At the same time, the lack of natural predators has caused their numbers to rise rapidly.
02:51Even as an environmental activist, I have to admit that the growing deer population has become a serious problem for
02:59farmers.
02:59If we relocate, the wipe is very sensitive.
03:03Local authorities are now trying to balance the needs of both people and wildlife.
03:09For now, officials hope waterholes and new fencing can reduce the conflict.
03:14But with the deer population still growing, finding a balance between conservation and farming remains a challenge.
03:22And the true fact of the Friedrich food in the middle has faced...
03:23And the
03:23celebration of meaning of the dead is impacted by the animals of the slaughterhouses.
03:26And the
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