Review of the management of feral animals and their impact on ...

3.7.19 Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)
Summary
A deer with a limited distribution, but capable <strong>of</strong> occupying a vast area within <strong>the</strong>
sou<strong>the</strong>rn half <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Rangel<strong>and</strong>s, where it could be expected to contribute to serious
habitat degradation.
Distribution
Red deer occur widely within south-eastern Australia, but within <strong>the</strong> Rangel<strong>and</strong>s <strong>the</strong>ir
distribution is limited. There are herds in <strong>the</strong> Port Augusta area <strong>and</strong> in north-eastern
New South Wales (many populations) (Moriarty 2004). Queensl<strong>and</strong> has a herd <strong>of</strong>
fewer than 100 <strong>animals</strong> near Rockhampton, <strong>and</strong> two populations in <strong>the</strong> Roma-Injune-
Mitchell area, totalling between 100 <strong>and</strong> 500 (Jesser 2005). There is also a population
beside <strong>the</strong> Murray River in south western New South Wales (Moriarty 2004).
Native to Europe, Asia <strong>and</strong> North America.
Impacts
Very little is known about <strong>the</strong> <strong>impact</strong> <strong>of</strong> red deer in Australia. R<strong>of</strong>f (1960) reported
that rutting stags <strong>of</strong> red deer in <strong>the</strong> Brisbane River catchment rub <strong>the</strong>ir antlers on trees
<strong>and</strong> shrubs, ‘sometimes removing <strong>the</strong> bark <strong>of</strong> saplings from ground level to six feet up
<strong>the</strong> trunks.’ In pine plantations <strong>the</strong>y were killing saplings up to six metres tall. Culling
has periodically occurred when <strong>the</strong>y have become a pest (Jesser 2005). In a survey <strong>of</strong>
l<strong>and</strong>holders with wild deer (<strong>of</strong> various species) <strong>the</strong>re were reports <strong>of</strong> deer degrading
water quality, competing with native <strong>and</strong> domesticated grazers, <strong>and</strong> spreading weeds
(Moriarty 2004).
In New Zeal<strong>and</strong>, red deer are extremely damaging, removing up to 90 per cent <strong>of</strong>
seedlings <strong>and</strong> saplings from forests, <strong>and</strong> probably contributing to soil erosion.
According to King (1990): ‘In national parks <strong>and</strong> similar mainl<strong>and</strong> protected natural
areas, where <strong>the</strong> native biota is supposed to be kept as near as intact as possible, red
deer have already caused irreversible changes in <strong>the</strong> vegetation.’ In Europe, red deer
sometimes cause ‘severe’ damage in forests by browsing <strong>the</strong> buds <strong>of</strong> trees <strong>and</strong>
stripping <strong>the</strong>ir bark (Long 2003). They appear on <strong>the</strong> IUCN list <strong>of</strong> 100 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> World’s
Worst Invasive Alien Species (Lowe et al. 2000).
Red deer at present may not have much <strong>impact</strong> upon biodiversity within <strong>the</strong>
Rangel<strong>and</strong>s, but that situation may change if <strong>the</strong>y keep spreading. In 1995 only four
populations were known from Australia, none <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m from <strong>the</strong> Rangel<strong>and</strong>s (Moriarty
2004), but today <strong>the</strong>re are more than 65 populations in Australia. red deer are <strong>the</strong>
species most favoured by deer farmers. Bioclimatic modelling indicates that <strong>the</strong>y
could occupy a large area within <strong>the</strong> Rangel<strong>and</strong>s, south <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tropics, achieving
highest densities in New South Wales, central Queensl<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn fringes <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> Rangel<strong>and</strong>s including <strong>the</strong> Nullabor Plain.
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