Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, Media Release, 1 June 2023
Tasmania’s feral deer population is costing the state more than $100 million a year.
The peak body for farming in the state, the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, says the deer population in Tasmania is exploding.
TFGA President Ian Sauer said culling deer was the only solution. He said in three weeks recently more than 700 fallow deer had been put down in a Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) programme using a helicopter, in the walls of Jerusalem National Park.
Mr Sauer Said, “The damage from deer is not confined just to conservation areas, with the greatest damage being done on productive agricultural land with, large mobs of deer destroying fences, trampling crops, damaging plantations and eating pastures.
“This damage inflicts huge losses of production, and costly repairs, with control costs being borne by the farmer.
“The Invasive Species Council calculated that more than $100 million a year is the likely annual cost of feral deer to the Tasmanian community and economy,” said Mr Sauer.
The TFGA will be talking with the government to allow farmers to use aerial culling to reduce the numbers of deer that are impacting farms.
TFGA will continue working with NRE in a joint Wildlife damage control plan..
