ACT Parks and Conservation’s deer cull program has been completed with 156 feral deer removed from the Murrumbidgee and Molonglo River Corridors.
Nature reserves and walking trails, including part of the Centenary Trail were closed for the program, but have now re-opened to the public.
Invasive Animal Manager at the Parks and Conservation Service, Oliver Orgill said the aerial culling program was able to significantly reduce the emerging feral deer populations in Bullen Range, Woodstock and Lower Molonglo nature reserves and surrounding areas.
“This will reduce impacts on our nature reserves and surrounding farmland,” Mr Orgill said.
“We were able to remove over 50 fallow deer from the Lower Molonglo Nature Reserve which will reduce the likelihood of deer from this population moving up the river corridor and into urban areas.”
He said deer were invasive animals that had the potential to cause significant environmental and agricultural damage if populations were left unchecked.
“They graze on native plants, kill young trees through antler rubbing and cause damage to sensitive river corridor environments with their hooves,” Mr Orgill said.
“In total, the program culled 152 fallow deer and four sambar deer. Additionally, 11 feral pigs and one feral goat were culled.”
He said the success of the operation laid a solid foundation and demonstrated that that type of program was effective, efficient and operationally sound.
“It will be able to be implemented again in the future to control emerging feral deer populations,” Mr Orgill said.
