The Hon. Clare Scriven, Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development (SA), Media Release, 11 October 2022
An aerial cull of feral deer on the Fleurieu Peninsula culled more than 1000 deer from forests, farms and private conservation properties in September 2022.
Part of a State and Commonwealth funded SA Feral Deer Eradication Program, it is coordinated by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), with support from Landscapes Hills and Fleurieu and ForestrySA.
A $4 million state and federal government initiative to reduce numbers of feral deer is now underway in response to The Feral Deer Control Economic Analysis report, which found South Australia’s feral deer population could explode from 40,000 to more than 200,000 in the next decade if more control action is not taken. In total 1,019 feral deer were destroyed, with a total of 55 private landowners involved.
The Hills and Fleurieu region have the second highest population of feral deer in the state, estimated at about 8,000 before the September cull. Population modelling indicates that without further action, this population could increase to over 36,000 by 2032.
Aerial culling is the most effective landscape-scale tool currently available for rapidly reducing the impacts of feral deer. It also used thermal cameras, known as thermal-assisted aerial culling (TAAC), which improves the detection rate of deer in dense vegetation, when compared to non-thermal aerial culls. TAAC also enables culling from greater heights, up to 150m, to reduce disturbance to livestock.
Minister for Primary Industries Clare Scriven said half a tonne of venison was harvested from the culled deer which will be used to manufacture baits for wild dogs, as part of the program to eradicate wild dogs from South Australian sheep country.
A community meeting was held on Friday 30 September in Parawa at the conclusion of the cull. Around 40 locals attended to meet the helicopter pilot and the marksmen and to hear the results of the cull.
Quotes attributable to Clare Scriven:
Feral deer compete with native wildlife and livestock for food and contribute to the degradation of natural landscapes. They can also be a hazard on roads and cause vehicle accidents.
The Government of South Australia is committed to helping reduce numbers of feral deer around the state. Cross-government collaboration and cooperation with local landowners has achieved the great result of 1000 fewer feral deer in the Fleurieu Peninsula. Well done to all involved.
