By Chris Lloyd
I moved to Warburton in 2015, being semi-retired and looking forward to the challenge of reinvigorating the large garden. Since 2018, I have been facing a growing problem – feral deer. These are the most destructive animals I have ever encountered. Once they get it into their head to attack a plant species, they rip them to pieces.
I also ride a motorcycle and on two occasions have narrowly avoided a collision. Deer are like rabbits in that they are mesmerised by the lights, but unlike rabbits, I would come off second best if I hit one. It is only a matter of time before someone is killed.
Deer not only destroy gardens and constitute a traffic hazard. They affect the productivity of agricultural pasture. They reduce the biodiversity of non-agricultural land. And they degrade water catchments. An example is the Cardinia Creek catchment where their numbers were recently estimated at 15 per square kilometre.
The Victorian Government released its deer control strategy in 2019 and missed the chance to declare deer a pest. Even though the Victorian population is at least one million and increasing at a rapid rate, they still enjoy protected wildlife status. Declaring them a pest would make it much easier for farmers and recreational shooters to cull them down to manageable numbers.
If you are tired of inaction about these feral pests than please write to the Yarra Ranges Mayor Jim Child and our local state member Cindy McLeish. Please also join the Victorian Deer Control Community Network sponsored by the Invasive Species Council.
