sika deer taking over?

[Keith Talbot]

this was in the local paper yesterday,i thought some others might like to read it.

i didnt realise the numbers were quite so high.

Dorset farmers want increase in sika deer cull (From Bournemouth Echo)

[Hedge Witch]

Interesting article. It's not a deer I've ever come across. Possibly they have a "local" distribution.

[RobinP]

Originally Posted by Hedge Witch

Interesting article. It's not a deer I've ever come across. Possibly they have a "local" distribution.

I certainly saw quite a few on Brownsea Island when I was there, Lord knows how they got there in the first place, on a pleasure cruise?

[Dogghound]

Nationally there are four million deer, the most there have been for the past 1,000 years, despite an annual cull of 350,000.

Sika deer have only been here about 150 years. , I presume this means deer in general, quite misleading.

[Ukwildlifeo]

There was a paper out last week about how 40% of the deer in some parts of Scotland are now sika x red deer hybrids (while researching it for m blog i also found a paper from a few years ago on the genetics of it and what it shows - that one was a bit too complicated!).
Although it seems here the problem is the inefficient control of the deer - it shows sport hunting isn't conservation...

[Hedge Witch]

Originally Posted by RobinP

I certainly saw quite a few on Brownsea Island when I was there, Lord knows how they got there in the first place, on a pleasure cruise?

It's hard enough getting on the island as a tourist! I wonder of the deer were introduced.

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

Although it seems here the problem is the inefficient control of the deer - it shows sport hunting isn't conservation...

Yes very good point.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Hedge Witch

It's hard enough getting on the island as a tourist! I wonder of the deer were introduced.

they probably were introduced to the island but deer are actually quite strong swimmers I believe

[Pete Collins]

[quote=Dogghound;418696... , I presume this means deer in general, quite misleading.[/QUOTE]

Yes, the figure of 350,000 culled each year refers to ALL deer. It was mentioned on Countryfile the other day - various landowner and conservationist groups feel it needs to be increased to 500,000.

[GuyF]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

they probably were introduced to the island but deer are actually quite strong swimmers I believe

Yes, I think that's right. A small group was introduced to the island, some managed to swim across to the mainland and the numbers have been growing since then. They certainly seem to be the commonest deer in the area, there are loads in the Arne area for example.
Recently I saw a small group in a field only a couple of miles from my house, I've never seen them in this area before so it seems like they're spreading out from the Purbecks.
Guy