State leaders dragging hooves on averting feral deer expansion

Feral deer need to be listed as a pest, not protected as they currently are, says a new joint letter signed by a broad array of community and business groups.

Sent to the Victorian Agriculture and Environment Ministers, the letter is backed by over 100 academics, land managers and national, state and regional community and conservation groups. 

Signatories call on the ministers to use the current Wildlife Act review as an opportunity to ‘unprotect’ deer that are currently protected under the state’s wildlife laws despite being an introduced species.

This action, it says, will create clarity for impacted land managers, communities and businesses and “reflect reality as we move to seriously control the impact of what has become a serious pest".

With the number of feral deer swarming across Victoria the destructive impact on farmland, public safety and national parks and native wildlife warrants a change of status. 

The signatories raise serious concerns that keeping deer a ‘protected species’ under the Wildlife Act sabotages the kind of effective actions the Victorian Government needs to take to reduce deer numbers and damage.

“It’s highly perplexing that feral deer are still listed as a protected wildlife species. This legislative relic should be put in a museum where it belongs” says Jordan Crook from the Victorian National Parks Association.

“Listing feral deer alongside red foxes, rabbits and feral pigs, is a no brainer”.

Left uncontrolled in the right conditions, feral deer populations can increase by 34–50 per cent annually. The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action estimates a population “…up to one million wild animals or more” in the coming years.

The cost of doing nothing to control feral deer in Victoria runs into the billions. Their hooves and antlers wreck orchards, farms and vineyards. Feral deer spread disease to waterways and livestock, damage property, cause vehicle collisions, and damage national parks and gardens. They ruin sensitive and recovering habitats like Endangered Cool Temperate Rainforest and alpine meadows. 

“We invest millions of dollars of public money to remove deer from bush and farmland, only to ‘protect’ them for the benefit of a handful of shooters.  This contradictory position only leads to confusion, poor land management and increased road hazards”. 

Community concern over the Victorian Government’s refusal to remove the protection given to feral deer under the state’s Wildlife Act is growing across the state. Signatories include Knox City Council, Hancock Victorian Plantations Holdings and a raft of Landcare and land management groups.

“It’s time to list feral deer as a pest, invest in effective and science-based control, and where possible, eradicate feral deer populations, where possible” says Jordan Crook. 

Andrew Cox, CEO Invasive Species Council added that: "Feral deer can be so damaging to our environment and agriculture that many land managers are calling them ‘Australia’s next rabbit plague’.

"Decades of delays in a serious, coordinated effort to stem the tide of feral deer have allowed their numbers to explode.

'‘The message is simple; if we do nothing to control feral deer then everybody loses, but if the Victorian government steps up and removes these protections, we can stop the spread, reduce the negative impacts and protect vulnerable species from extinction."

"The Victorian government is sacrificing our environment and agriculture industries in response to recreational hunting interests."

Victorian feral deer facts

• There is an estimated 250,000 to one million feral deer across Victoria

• Deer are listed as pests in all state and territories except Victoria and Tasmania 

• There are four species of feral deer in Victoria Fallow deer (Dama dama), Sambar deer (Cervus unicolor), Red deer (Cervus elaphus) and Hog deer (Axis porcinus)

• Recreational hunting is acknowledged by the State government to be ineffective at controlling deer numbers alone

A free webinar will be held on Thursday, 21 November | 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm featuring Dr.Alex Maisey- https://vnpa.org.au/event/webinar-feral-deer/ 

Photos for media use can be found here- https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/yz0ec9rgxs0avymsjx3a6/AI4c8RZQNG7FzwPI1UrWrZA?dl=0&e=3&rlkey=8i7dz25qfin7w3hnsgr7fx0g6&st=ei66sz47 

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References: Frontier Economic report on the economic, social and environmental impact of feral deer-https://invasives.org.au/publications/an-analysis-of-the-economic-social-environmental-cost-of-feral-deer-in-victoria/