Some very unfortunate political play has happened over deer hunting. Let's begin with the fact that before white people arrived in Australia, there were no hard hooved animals in Australia. Cattle, horses, sheep, buffalo, pigs and deer were introduced by white people. While cattle and sheep are managed as farm animals, wild populations of horses, buffalo and deer exist. Horses and buffalo are partly controlled by government contracted exterminators, the others are not generally except by private hunters.
Hard hooved animals do terrible damage to our fragile environment and should be eliminated.
Deer have no protection in Australia beyond cruelty to animals laws, except for in my state, Victoria. They are able to be shot by hunters, but otherwise they are a protected species. They are often hit by cars, causing terrible damage to cars, and I should think danger to those who run into them, and aside from dingoes and wild dogs, they don't have a natural predator. Why has this protection nonsense just be reinforced by our state government?
In my view it is solely down to the hunting lobbyists. They don't want to see the pest species eliminated because they won't be able to hunt them. The Labor(sic) state government has caved into pressure from the hunting lobby, over the environment and motorist safety, and it is a disgrace.
With our preferential voting system, I've always voted Labor, or directed my preference to Labor after voting for The Greens. It will be a pointless exercise, but I will inform the Labor Party of my disgust and disappointment. If enough people do as I do, maybe it could make a change.
My apologies if I've upset your Bambi feelings, but it is an important environmental and road safety matter, and we don't want to end up like Debby mentioned in her post referring to deer.
I was astonished to read about this invasiveness of species not indigent to Australia by your brilliant Australian author Richard Flanagan. The same has happened in Newfoundland with the invasive moose species not native to our province. They create havoc on the highways and kill many motorists in accidents. The moose hunters object. Of course they do. Moose hunting is huge here and moose meat a diet staple. Follow the money.
ReplyDeleteXO
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Flannagan is very respected for his activism, although he must be getting old now and I haven't heard from him for some time. I suppose there is no reason why moose meat wouldn't be edible, but I've not heard of it being eaten.
DeleteI hadn't heard this, Andrew. What a stupid decision.
ReplyDeleteIm not keen on killing deer and I hate the idea of upsetting the delicate social structure of horses but the environment must be prioritised.The continal carry on about protecting brumbies is insane.
Kylie, the Victorian government will be very happy you haven't heard about it. If all of the hooved animals are culled, there will be no social structure. Yes, I am being harsh. Too many of our native creatures have become extinct. Our ecology really needs Australian natives, clear streams, no mud wallowing holes etc.
DeleteI do agree. I just dont like what it takes to achieve!
DeleteMy Dad was quite surprised recently by a herd of feral deer at his place - which is in Central Queensland.
ReplyDeleteJeanie, there you go. Never seen before but I bet this won't be the last time they are seen.
DeleteI gather there are quite a lot of introduced non native species that have caused widespread damage over the years.
ReplyDeleteThe list is terribly long JayCee.
DeleteI'm surprised there's this resistance to eliminating deer, as most places are trying hard to wipe out invasive species. I'm not sure how to make the hunters happy if there's nothing else to take their place, but then, there's a lot I don't understand about hunting.
ReplyDeleteSteve, shooting unprotected wild pigs will keep them busy enough, and it is a thing, with dogs to help.
DeleteMy cousin, who lives near the Wollemi "wilderness" area near Sydney, reckons that feral species are deliberately released by "hunters" for the sake of the sport. It seems an outrageous suggestion until you realise that that was what was done by so-called "acclimatisation" societies in the first place.
DeleteI don't believe that MC but I am quite sure hunters want to keep numbers up for them to easily hunt.
DeleteI don’t believe in hunting of any description. Roadkill does happens though kangaroos …I have hit one on the Streaky Bay Road , fortunately it jumped quickly and only the car was damaged, foxes wombats koalas . You name it they will be strewn on outback roads everywhere unfortunately. . I learned my lesson, don’t drive just before dawn on country roads if you don’t have to. If you do, stop to ensure they have no babies with them and make sure they don’t suffer
ReplyDeleteThat is true about kangaroos. We are in their space but deer our in our native animals' space. There should be one number, maybe there is, to phone Wildlife Rescue, and it should be in our phones to call should an animal be hit. You are quite right about driving at certain times, with dusk being very risky too.
DeleteProtecting an introduced pest at the expense of our environment and safety is indefensible, and the government’s decision deserves to be challenged
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Roentare. Perfectly stated.
DeleteI agree with roentare. Hooved animals should be controlled.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see them eliminated Diane, but if not, certainly numbers controlled.
DeleteWe have similar issues here as well. I think it's about the inability to manage wildlife in a manner that's fair to both animals as wells as humans.
ReplyDeletePradeep, there does have to be a balance but weighted highly towards animals and the environment. If the environment is not right, we as humans won't last long.
DeleteI knew about deer there but buffalo??? The things I learn from blogs.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the resistance to removing a destructive non-native species.
Debby, mostly in Northern Territory I think, but buffalo love water and wallowing in mud holes. Sometimes crocodiles will drag one into the water but I imagine they are hard to kill, even for a croc.
DeleteThe reason is pure politics, votes. Our Hunters and Fishers Party is very good at lobbying.
My birth name translates into "deer" in English. Should I go into hiding ha ha
ReplyDeleteKeep a low profile Hels, and wear slippers over your hoofs when you go out.
DeleteWe have deer in SA, but I think only on one farm in the hills area, I've never even seen them. I get your point about hard hooved animals, but I shudder at the thought of importing steaks and lamb roasts etc from countries that don't have our food safety standards.
ReplyDeleteRiver, nothing wrong with farming deer or other farmed animals. It is the feral ones that cause the damage. I would not eat imported meat if I knew it was imported.
DeleteThere are deer here too and we have a deer season as in shooting them. They jump high and hard to contain I believe. Of course they sure can cause damage to people's car and even cause death to humans.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, yes it is the same here, deer shooting seasons, I believe. The numbers here are so huge, the shooting is having little impact.
DeleteI was ignorant of the fact that Australia has no naturally occurring hooved animals. Humans have a lot to answer for.
ReplyDeleteJB, rather your ancestors do. Mine too.
DeleteAn uncontrolled invasive species does not belong there. Here in the USA, we hunted most of the natural predators into near extinction, than the native deer population has suffered ill effects of overpopulation. Slowly wolves and coyotes are coming back, bears even more slowly.
ReplyDeleteTP, that happened here too with crocodiles and eagles, which immediately come to mind.
DeleteDeer strikes are a serious issue here. ~shakes head~ Invasive species issues are terrible just about everywhere. ~sigh~ Be well!
ReplyDeleteDarla, I'm sure it is quite widespread around the world, but some areas have done it better. Thanks.
DeleteI am against hunters ! If I could I would shoot them all ! and if on the roads there would be signs to drive slowly, many animals could be saved. We have that here. For boars and deer there are hunting periods and only during this time it is allowed to hunt. Concerning boars I agree that they have to have a limited number, because they cause a lot of damage.
ReplyDeleteIngrid, see although you are against hunting, you do make an exception for boars. You need to see some of the damage non Australian animals do here.
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