31-03-2025
Aussies warned of $96 million threat spilling onto our roads: 'Many don't know'
Australians across every state and territory are being urged to keep a look-out for one of the country's most problematic introduced species, with the troublemaker's activity soon set to drastically "intensify" and spill onto roads.
First brought to Australia in the early 1800s by European settlers, deer were mainly imported for recreational hunting. Red deer were introduced to Tasmania in 1827, followed by several other species over the years, including fallow, sambar, chital and muntjac.
The intention was to establish game species for hunting and to introduce animals that mirrored those of the settlers' homelands, creating a more familiar European landscape. However, Australia's ecosystems, having evolved in isolation for millions of years, were never designed to accommodate them. As a result, their populations have exploded.
Due to the fact they have no natural predators here, deer numbers have risen exponentially across the entire continent, with estimates now suggesting there are millions. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, The Centre for Invasive Species Solutions CEO Shauna Chadlowe encouraged all residents to photograph and report deer when they see them.
"Reporting by the public helps us know where the feral deer are, particularly in new areas, as well as areas where deer are spreading," she said. "Knowing where they are helps land management agencies and communities better prepare for early action to keep numbers and impacts of deer low and manageable, rather than waiting for them to get out of hand."
Tracking where feral deer are spreading also forewarns towns that will have a problem with the pest in coming years. Feral deer can reside in an area for many months or even years before the community notices, or starts to have concerns, Chadlowe said.
"By this stage, the numbers of deer have often grown quickly and control efforts are expensive and time consuming. Getting on top of deer early is the most cost-effective approach to keeping them in check."
DeerScan reports can be used by land management agencies and councils to help inform where community awareness, education and control efforts can be best supported.
Chadlowe said as the animals continue to spread around the country, there's a heightened risk of feral deer on the road as well. They're already widely found across Australia, but are particularly common in Victoria, NSW and Tasmania.
While they can be managed through ground or aerial methods, with some peri-urban areas using traps where shooting is not permitted, effective control requires coordinated efforts across properties, as deer move between them daily. It makes tracking their movements paramount.
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National Deer Management Coordinator for the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, Dr Annelise Wiebkin, said with extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods and fires, pushing the the species into new areas, residents can expect to find them in places they might not have been before.
To counter their breeding rate, a 35-50 per cent reduction in deer numbers per year is needed, which can be achieved through strategic, frequent and timely efforts, she said. "Many Australians are not aware that we have feral deer in Australia (almost 40 per cent), so we need to raise the awareness ... and encourage more uniform and widespread action," she said.
"Activity will intensify in coming weeks, so people may see deer more often or even for the first time in a new area. We have a small window of opportunity to track their spread and support control efforts, particularly in areas where feral deer numbers are still low."
"Feral deer trash and eat native vegetation, ringbark trees, create wallows, trample undergrowth and spread weed seeds, all things that threaten the survival of native flora and fauna."
Deer also pose a threat to agriculture, as they damage crops and fences, leading to significant economic losses for farmers. Whats more, they're are known to carry diseases, such as chronic wasting disease and tuberculosis, which can potentially spread to native wildlife and livestock, further disrupting local ecosystems. Their population is now estimated to be between one and two million.
In 2021, feral deer were responsible for costing the Australian economy approximately $91.3 million. This includes $69.1 million in agricultural losses. Additionally, public expenditure on control efforts reached $17.8 million, reflecting the ongoing challenge of managing deer populations.
The economic impact also extends to infrastructure, with deer-related motor vehicle collisions causing an estimated $3.3 million in damages, as well as $1.2 million in train collisions.
Australians can find additional deer resources here.
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