Based on work undertaken by the University of East Anglia a cull of deer throughout England is being advocated!! Pretty far reaching one might say, but that's how the media presented the issue.
Apparently the deer populations are at a higher point at present than at any time since the last Ice Age ( impressive data base line it has to be said ! ) and are causing extensive damage to woodlands and, increasingly, are involved in road accidents. Seeing the film footage I immediately thought, Thetford Forest, although I'd perhaps seen it before. The Muntjac was a clue though!
The university and Forestry Commission representatives were somewhat less alarmist, but nonetheless conveyed something needs to be done. I'd question whether the conclusions have universal applicability and, therefore, there must be "local solutions" which can be applied where there are obvious high concentrations of animals. I'm also bound to say the temptation to "open up" by some motorists travelling along the long straight roads through many parts of the Thetford Forest might contribute to that particular local problem. Speed bumps could address the problem, may be they do already,but that of habitat destruction would remain un-addressed. I can identify with the problem of deer on roads though, as I've written about it several times on this Blog. Certainly the Roe Deer population has grown enormously within my lifetime and I'm still encountering animals in new places as I travel around on the English mainland.
So, we shall now have to see how the problem is addressed and who is involved. I thought the Forestry Commission already carried out seasonal culling activities so possibly they could offer supervised commercial shooting opportunities as well.
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