The last eight years has seen deer populations growing exponentially in the UK, causing millions of pounds' worth of damage to agr...
Case Studies
England's deer population is soaring thanks to recent mild winters, combined with more eco-friendly farming patterns. There are now roughly twice as many roe deer as ten years ago, twice as many fallow deer, and three times as many muntjac.
| 19952003 | ||
| Chinese Water Deer | 650 | 5,000 |
| Fallow Deer | 95,000 | 250,000 |
| Muntjac Deer | 52,000 | 150,000 |
| Red Deer | 12,500 | 20,000 |
| Roe Deer | 150,000 | 300,000 |
| Sika Deer | 2,500 | 10,000 |
The damage to crops and woodland has reached a point where Defra has drawn up proposals to extend by a fortnight the seasons (varying according to species) during which deer may legally be culled. Shortening the annual "close" period will allow orphaned fawns to be killed and should help stem the ever increasing populations.
The proposals will also allow licenced killing of deer during the protected period if natural heritage or health and safety of the general public is directly threatened.
The measures have drawn criticism from animal welfare groups, who fear they will lead to a surge in people hunting purely for sport. The RSPCA have given a cautious welcome to a humane cull in situations where there is clear evidence of over-populated areas.
With wild deer populations growing rapidly in parts of the country despite annual culls, millions of pounds' worth of damage is being caused to agriculture. They are damaging some of our most threatened woodland habitats, and are currently directly attributable to more than 300 injuries on Britain's roads.
The current laws were framed when deer numbers were smaller. They no longer promote effective, sustainable deer management. The new proposals will ensure that the right balance is struck between conserving deer and effectively addressing the problems they cause.