Environmental And Economic Impact Of Feral Deer Presence In Australia

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Feral Deer in Australia
Madeleine Laloli

This case study examines Feral Deer, gives an overview of their physical features and habitat. It looks at the level of Deer presence within Australia, the history of their introduction, impact, and the steps being taken to control the population.

Introduced Species in Australia
Australia is home to many introduced species of both plants and animals, the majority of these were brought here not long after the European settlement. “An introduced species is an organism that is not native to the place or area where it is considered introduced and instead has been accidentally or deliberately transported to the new location by human activity.” They are also commonly referred to as feral animals (from …show more content…

Escaped deer can often be correlated to the presence of local farms, but also can spread to other areas once free.

Ecological and Economic Impact of Feral Deer
The impact of feral deer can be broken down into types of damage, including economic, environmental and direct threat to humans within the vicinity of herds. Deer can increase number greatly when given the right conditions creating long term problems. Some impacts that have been observed are:

Economic
Deer can destroy seedlings within commercial forests
Damage and consume crops.
Damage orchards through ring-barking, irrigation systems and fences.
Feral deer also compete with -livestock for grazing areas, particularly during, dry …show more content…

Control and Eradication of Feral Deer
Because of the increasing awareness of the negative impact deer have, they are recognised as a pest animal in many Australian states. Legislation is still varied between different regions of Australia, and specific control measures distinguish between the various species of deer, some being more harmful than others. The following methods are used to control feral deer numbers in affected areas.

Prevention of additional deer escaping into the wild from deer farm through deer proof fences and working with local Landcare organisations.
Shooting that is carried out by licensed and trained shooters, most often conducted at night in a vehicle using spot lights to assist. This method is seen as one of the more effective ways to control deer numbers humanely, despite being time and labour intensive.
Recreational or Sport Hunting
Helicopter Shooting
Trapping ( includes options such as self-mustering traps)
Any method of control must be weighed for its effectiveness, feasibility and secondary impact making management of feral deer an ongoing and complex

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