Deer Cull

[rexrobin]

I'm reading more and more about these deer culls in the UK. Saw this this morning - Wild deer cull to be stepped up

Really not sure about it. I know they're damaging other wildlife but isn't that survival of the fittest. Why should we control numbers? Who put us in charge?

[PMM123]

I suppose its down to us now as we've managed to kill off all their natural predators!

[muldonach]

Originally Posted by rexrobin

I'm reading more and more about these deer culls in the UK. Saw this this morning - Wild deer cull to be stepped up

Really not sure about it. I know they're damaging other wildlife but isn't that survival of the fittest. Why should we control numbers? Who put us in charge?

Any damage to other wildlife by deer is incidental and largely consists of outcompeting other browsers or habitat damage by browsing and trampling.

Deer control is generally carried out for the benefit of the deer population as a whole since there are no remaining natural predators. Left unchecked deer numbers can be expected to rise beyond the natural carrying capacity of the ground at which point spectacular localised population crashes can be expected through a combination of disease and starvation - there are a couple of cases already in munjac and some documented severe die-offs in scottish red deer.

In addition deer are coming more and more into conflict with motor cars with associated costs in fatalities and injuries to both deer and humans as well as the financial costs of damage.

We humans effectively put ourselves in charge by killing off all the major natural predators.

Properly carried out, deer control is a humane operation, it is just a shame that there is such a limited demand for venison in the UK!

Regards
mac