An environmental group say wild deer are causing ‘significant damage’ to crops and natural habitats in Tasmania, leading to calls for local laws to be changed and for the animals to be classified as pests.
The Invasive Species Council wants deer to be classified as pests in Tasmania – one of the only Australian areas to legally protect dear as game animals for hunting purposes.
The council say wild deer not only “overgraze and trample native grasslands”, but they also pose 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.”
Up to 100,000 deer are estimated to cover about a quarter of Tasmania, infringing on the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
By 2050, it is thought more than 500,000 deer will be roaming the island state.
The Tasmanian government says its Wild Fallow Deer Management Plan takes a balanced approach when it comes to managing the impact of deer in both conservation and agriculture areas.
They say it also ensures deer are available as a “traditional hunting resource”.
The Invasive Species Council National Feral Deer Action Plan is now open for public consultation, with submissions to close by mid-March.
