THE Invasive Species Council has welcomed an additional $1.7 million from the Victorian government for feral deer control across Melbourne’s outer east, following growing community concern about deer numbers and their impacts.
“This new funding is a welcome investment, but it needs to be the start of sustained action on Victoria’s growing feral deer problem – not just a plan for the election,” Invasive Species Council Advocacy Director Reece Pianta said.
“But $1.7 million is still tiny compared with the scale of Victoria’s feral deer problem. Victoria needs a much bigger and longer-term commitment to bring deer numbers under control.”Communities and land managers have been calling for stronger action on feral deer for years. It’s good to see the Victorian government responding to those concerns.
“Feral deer don’t disappear after election day. Victoria needs ongoing funding that gives communities and land managers certainty that control will continue year after year.
“The government should restore community deer coordinator roles to help land managers coordinate control and navigate the complexities created by Victoria continuing to protect feral deer as game.
“We also need renewed investment in eradication in western Victoria, where deer numbers are still relatively low and eradication remains achievable. This is our chance to stop deer becoming the enormous problem in the west that they already are in eastern Victoria.
“Waiting until deer are widespread across western Victoria will make the problem far more difficult and expensive to deal with, while allowing more damage to native vegetation, waterways and wildlife habitat.
“This announcement is a good step. Now we need to turn it into lasting action – ongoing investment, restored community coordinators, regulatory reform and eradication in western Victoria.”
