Suitable state land should be designated and securely fenced as habitat for deer, says the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA).
INHFA president Vincent Roddy says a “spiralling” deer population should be culled to numbers capable of being sustained in such areas and not be allowed to expand into farmland.
Calling for such a “proper” deer management structure be put in place in order to control the spread of bovine TB, Roddy said while an organised and supervised deer cull “might not be a popular move with some members of the public, it is necessary to help maintain the health of the wild deer population”.
He highlighted the need for coordinated approach by all state bodies to address the deer problem which he said is now at “crisis” point.
Deer should be fenced into national parks, the INHFA has proposed. \ Valerie O'Sullivan
“[It] is a role for the state and specifically the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) which has national parks in the counties where there is a high population of deer.”
“These parks would need to be properly fenced for deer and involve a commitment to maintain fences as part of any state support package for the NPWS,” he said.
Increasing numbers
Roddy highlighted afforestation and lack of correct management of the wild deer population “over many years” as reasons it has “increased exponentially”.
“This increase is seen not just in uplands areas, which would be their natural habitat, but is now spreading to many other areas of the country,” he said.
He slammed recent proposals to introduce wolves or the lynx as a means to address the problem and said such proposals are only driven by a “re-wilding ideology”.
INHFA president Vincent Roddy. \ Philip Doyle
The INHFA president suggested those putting forward such measures are “fully aware of the consequences of re-introducing predators such as wolves or lynx who won’t go chasing down deer when there are much easier options provided by sheep and younger cattle”.
“This of course is what they want and would fulfil their re-wilding fantasy across most of our hills and in some lowland areas,” he said.
Roddy said that in Ireland, there has been a “haphazard approach to the management of wild deer which has brought us to the crisis point we now find ourselves in”.
Read more
Renewed calls for wolf introduction to cull deer
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Suitable state land should be designated and securely fenced as habitat for deer, says the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA).
INHFA president Vincent Roddy says a “spiralling” deer population should be culled to numbers capable of being sustained in such areas and not be allowed to expand into farmland.
Calling for such a “proper” deer management structure be put in place in order to control the spread of bovine TB, Roddy said while an organised and supervised deer cull “might not be a popular move with some members of the public, it is necessary to help maintain the health of the wild deer population”.
He highlighted the need for coordinated approach by all state bodies to address the deer problem which he said is now at “crisis” point.
Deer should be fenced into national parks, the INHFA has proposed. \ Valerie O'Sullivan
“[It] is a role for the state and specifically the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) which has national parks in the counties where there is a high population of deer.”
“These parks would need to be properly fenced for deer and involve a commitment to maintain fences as part of any state support package for the NPWS,” he said.
Increasing numbers
Roddy highlighted afforestation and lack of correct management of the wild deer population “over many years” as reasons it has “increased exponentially”.
“This increase is seen not just in uplands areas, which would be their natural habitat, but is now spreading to many other areas of the country,” he said.
He slammed recent proposals to introduce wolves or the lynx as a means to address the problem and said such proposals are only driven by a “re-wilding ideology”.
INHFA president Vincent Roddy. \ Philip Doyle
The INHFA president suggested those putting forward such measures are “fully aware of the consequences of re-introducing predators such as wolves or lynx who won’t go chasing down deer when there are much easier options provided by sheep and younger cattle”.
“This of course is what they want and would fulfil their re-wilding fantasy across most of our hills and in some lowland areas,” he said.
Roddy said that in Ireland, there has been a “haphazard approach to the management of wild deer which has brought us to the crisis point we now find ourselves in”.
Read more
Renewed calls for wolf introduction to cull deer
Wildlife ‘true cause’ of TB spread, not cattle movements - IFA
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