Bizarre problem causing Kew traffic havoc

RESIDENTS in Melbourne’s east have a new menace to deal with on the roads, and it’s not bad drivers.

RESIDENTS in Melbourne’s east have to contend with a bizarre traffic problem with rogue deer causing havoc on the roads.

One deer had to be put down by the side of the road in Kew after being hit by a car, police have confirmed.

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“It was hit by a car and left badly injured on Monday morning at Studley Park Road,” acting sergeant Paul Paliaga told the Herald Sun.

The animal was herded to the side of the road by officers, who had to slow traffic with vets and the ranger called, the sergeant said.

Acting Sergeant Paul Paliaga said Monday’s incident happened near part of Xavier College.

“Students from Xavier were told to go back inside and the officers moved the police car in front to make it a bit more discreet and so passers-by wouldn’t be distressed,” he said.

“We also arranged for the gardener (from the school) to come and move the deer into the scrub so it wasn’t on the roadside”

He said Parks Victoria had been contacted to remove the animal, and he was checking to make sure it was gone today.

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A red deer, but this one is on a deer farm. Picture: File, Zoe Phillips

“Unfortunately it wasn’t in a good way and the decision was made to put it down by officers as the ranger wasn’t able to,” Sgt Paliaga said.

The shocking incident isn’t the first time Boroondara police have had to deal with rogue deer on the roads though.

“We have noticed a few deer more on the roads in the last few weeks but it’s very uncommon for an officer to need to put them down,” Sgt Paliaga said.

While he wasn’t sure the reason for the recent increase in amount of deer he said they believed the animals followed the river.

This wild deer caused an estimated $100,000 damage in Ringwood in August 2017. Picture: Supplied

Deer were becoming more common in urbanised areas because of habitat loss, Australia Deer Association spokesman Barry Howlett said.

“It could be any number of reasons why they are being seen but there’s a few wildlife corridors from the Yarra Valley that lead into these areas,” Mr Howlett said.

The animal was likely to be a young buck who went wandering to find his own territory, the spokesman said.

A cull was also unlikely to solve the problem, as it was only a few animals spotted every year rather than a population increase in certain areas, he said.

It’s also not the first time the pest species endangered members of the public.

A 250kg sambar deer charged a woman at a Ringwood funeral parlour last August and destroyed the chapel.

Days before, one of the introduced species was seen running on the Ringwood bypass.

Parks Victoria has been contacted for comment.