UK: 50 - 60% of deer ‘should be culled’, experts claim
More deer 'should be culled' say experts - Credit: Kyle Moore
Experts are urging all-out war on deer, which could see close to a million animals being shot each year in the UK.
Culling on a massive scale is necessary just to keep the exploding deer population at its current level, they say.
The call to arms was made after new research showed that only by killing 50-60% of deer can their numbers be kept under reasonable control.
This is slaughter on a far greater scale than the 20-30% culling rates recommended before.
With total deer numbers estimated at about 1.5million, it could result in more than 750,000 animals being shot every year.
Deer are said to be having a devastating effect on woodland, damaging crops, causing road accidents and threatening a danger to public safety in urban areas.
Dr Paul Dolman, from the University of East Anglia, said shooting by trained and licensed hunters was the only practical way to keep their population in check.
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The Country Land and Business Association said it was in agreement that there should be “a more widespread cull to help prevent damage to woodland and create a market for venison”.
