News
18 September, 2023
New guide takes up the fight against the rising threats of feral deer
LANDHOLDERS impacted by the increasing threat of feral deer will benefit from a new management tool thanks to the release of the Glovebox Guide to Managing Feral Deer, from the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions.
With six species of invasive deer established in Australia and numbers continuing to climb, the negative impact on Australian agricultural production, the environment and public and private infrastructure will only continue to grow without integrated control measures rolled out over the coming years.
The new guide is one such measure, offering practical solutions for all land managers in helping manage and reduce the impact of feral deer.
Lead author, Dr David Forsyth from the NSW Department of Primary Industries Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, said the Glovebox Guide is based on the best practice science available for managing feral deer across Australia.
“Much of the information contained in the guide has been distilled from the extensive research undertaken over the past five years by the Centre’s feral deer research projects,” Dr Forsyth said.
“It follows the recent release of the Annual Costs of Feral Deer in Australia report which highlighted the increasing economic impact of feral deer, estimated at a substantial $91 million annually. With feral deer populations found across large parts of Australia and their numbers continuing to swell, their impacts will only worsen if control measures are not in place.
The Glove Box Guide is an important tool in seeking to implement such control measures, with Dr Annelise Wiebkin, National Deer Management Coordinator with the South Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regions saying with no control measures in place, what is currently 30 deer may become 500 deer in just 10 years.
“Through providing practical and real-time advice on feral deer behaviour, the guide assists land managers in ensuring the right control methods against the pest,” Dr Wiebkin said.
Copies of the new glovebox guide can be ordered online here: https://pestsmart.org.au/pest-animals/glovebox-guides-order-form/
