Today’s release of a draft national plan to tackle the exploding numbers of feral deer across Australia has been welcomed by the Invasive Species Council.

‘The release of a national feral deer action plan is a potential game changer in stopping the spread of one of the most concerning emerging pest animals in Australia,’ said Invasive Species Council CEO Andrew Cox.
 
‘The message from this plan is simple; if we do nothing to control feral deer then everybody loses, but if governments and landholders step up we can stop the spread, reduce their impact and protect our precious places.

‘The deer plague has already taken over most natural areas on the east coast. Scientists now predict that without action feral deer will inhabit every habitat in every part of Australia. 

‘Implementing this national plan is our best shot at avoiding wall to wall deer across the continent,’ said Mr Cox.

In the past two decades, feral deer numbers have exploded tenfold across Australia. There are now millions of deer causing serious environmental damage and costing farmers hundreds of millions of dollars every year.

‘They overgraze and trample native grasslands and ring-bark native shrubs and trees. They cause erosion and degrade water quality by wallowing in wetlands and streams, impacting the homes of native species like the platypus.

‘Feral deer are also a major risk on our roads. In some parts of the country you are now more likely to see a deer on the side of the road than a kangaroo. A large deer can weigh in at more than 200 kilograms and could have devastating consequences for Australian families driving on major roads. In Victoria, it is estimated that feral deer will cost the state’s economy up to $825 million over the next 30 years due to motor accidents..

‘As deer spread into urban areas, including around Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane, they are threatening the lives of motorists, destroying gardens, contaminating critical water catchments and damaging the few remaining patches of urban bushland.

‘This plan is also a wake up call for the Victorian and Tasmanian governments where deer are still legally protected as a game animal for hunters, reflecting an outdated and early colonial attitude to this pest.

‘The proposal to establish a national containment zone to stop the westward spread of feral deer is an important feature of the plan,’ said Mr Cox.