Wild UK Deer
About Wild Deer
Six species of deer live wild in the UK, these include red, roe, sika, fallow, muntjac and Chinese water deer. Red and roe deer are the only native species with the others being introduced. More than 2 million deer are now living in the UK with the number increasing yearly. This is thought to be due to the milder winters, increasing woodland cover, agricultural changes and a lack of natural predators.
Why manage deer numbers
In some areas deer numbers are now becoming too great for there natural habitat which has caused excessive damage to agriculture and forestry, they are also undoubtedly having a detrimental impact on our woodland biodiversity. Sickness and disease can also be a problem related to large numbers of poorly managed deer. The safety of our roads is also an area of great concern with more than 74,000 deer being involved in collisions each year.
Management options
There are a few options when it comes to deer management:
Fencing can do a reasonably good job at keeping deer out of an area if it is erected at the correct high. however it is expensive to erect and maintain.
Tree protection in the form of guards can help to protect young trees from deer damage and may be cost effective for small areas. They will require to be inspected and maintained on a regular basis and may need to be removed when the tree outgrows them. They also only protect the tree and not other elements of woodland habitat that surround them.
Culling is the most cost effective and efficient way of maintaining low deer densities as long as carried out by trained professionals although it can be difficult in areas with high amounts of public access.