Manningham Council calls on deer to be reclassified as a pest
THEY’RE cute and beloved by children everywhere — but this council and others want the deer classified as a pest to tackle their exploding numbers.
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MANNINGHAM Council will make a submission to the Victorian Deer Management Strategy calling for the animal to be classified a pest in a bid to help tackle exploding populations around the municipality.
The strategy is currently being drafted by the State Government and Parks Victoria in response to a growing problem threatening public safety, agriculture and the environment.
A statewide study suggests the numbers of feral deer across Victoria are likely to double to two million in the next five years.
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The Leader first reported on the problem in Manningham last year, when Wonga Park residents were paying professional hunters to shoot kangaroos and deer that were coming down from Mt Lofty, causing problems on roads and destroying crops and vegetation.
The council will join Nillumbik and Yarra Ranges in calling for the new classification.
According to a report presented to the council last week, deer are a public safety risk as well as having impacts on agriculture and the environment.
Cr Michelle Kleinert said the strategy would be a vital part of combatting the problem. “The expected growth in the next five years means we need to make some changes,” she said.
Stags are known to attack people and pets with their antlers if they feel trapped and threatened. Due to their size, feral deer pose a much bigger traffic hazard compared with other wildlife.
A State Government spokesman said the plan was being developed to guide implementation of responses to the negative environmental, financial and social impacts of deer.
“Parks Victoria undertakes animal control programs designed to contribute to habitat restoration or predator management,” he said.
Have you been affected by feral deer? Comment at Manningham Leader’s Facebook page.
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