The Vanasthalipuram deer park about 16 kms. from the city is a recently developed park that situates on the Vijayawada highway.The Vanasthalipuram deer park - Mahavira Harina Vanasthali is named after the renowned Indian saint Lord Mahavir in commemoration of his 2500th birth anniversary in the year 1975. Vana means forest, sthali means place and puram is locality or site. Once the Nizam's Shikargarh or hunting grounds, the Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park, is today home for a few hundred black bucks along with several species of birds. A deer park was set up in order to preserve this precious heritage and rehabilitate. The area is also regaining its former appearance with lush green carpet of grass. The black buck is considered the most handsome of all its kind with its spiralled horns that have corkscrew like turns giving them a majestic look. The beautiful black buck, known as Krishna Jinka in Telugu, was declared the state animal of Andhra Pradesh. Mahaveer Harina Vanasthali National Park provides the black buck its much-needed safe haven to exist. It is also home to many species of birds. The pond herons, egrets, kingfishers, cormorants can be sighted almost always.
