The NPWS is very aware that balancing the demands of agriculture, forestry and conservation with the need to ensure that deer populations are managed at sustainable levels, and in a responsible and ethical manner, is a significant challenge. The NPWS takes steps on a number of fronts to manage these various interests.
While the National Parks and Wildlife Service issues licences for the hunting of deer, the Department does not own the deer population. They roam freely throughout the countryside and are present in many parts of the country. It is not part of the remit of this Department, nor indeed would it be generally possible, to cordon them onto specific areas of land.
Wild deer are protected under the Wildlife Acts. Landowners may apply to the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs for a permit under section 42 of the Wildlife Acts to cull deer on private land where necessary outside the annual open seasons. This approach can help to prevent serious damage caused by individual deer on specific lands.
The Department routinely carries out localised deer counts on state lands such as in Wicklow and Killarney National Parks.
Where appropriate and necessary, culls are carried out to ensure that deer populations do not reach levels that would have negative ecological consequences.
However, it must be noted that the populations of Red deer in Killarney National Park and surrounding area are of national conservation significance.
The Department commissioned a comprehensive survey and report in the winter of 2016 on the distribution, population density and population structure of Red deer and Sika deer in Killarney National Park.
As a result of the report, a cull of deer in the National Park is underway, to be concluded by the end of March.
Fencing
The NPWS believes fencing the National Park would not be a viable solution for a number of reasons:
The presence of deer is not confined to the national park and so fencing of these properties would serve no practical purpose in terms of wild deer control.The park is over 10,000ha in size, including some rugged terrain. Fencing this area would be an enormous task which is unlikely to result in the desired objective.Sika deer are capable of going under fencing that is eight inches off the ground, while red deer are capable of knocking fences that are preventing them from reaching traditional feeding and shelter grounds.The erection of a fence this size could also impact on the sensitive habitats within the park.There are many deer living outside the park boundaries.–NPWS
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The NPWS is very aware that balancing the demands of agriculture, forestry and conservation with the need to ensure that deer populations are managed at sustainable levels, and in a responsible and ethical manner, is a significant challenge. The NPWS takes steps on a number of fronts to manage these various interests.
While the National Parks and Wildlife Service issues licences for the hunting of deer, the Department does not own the deer population. They roam freely throughout the countryside and are present in many parts of the country. It is not part of the remit of this Department, nor indeed would it be generally possible, to cordon them onto specific areas of land.
Wild deer are protected under the Wildlife Acts. Landowners may apply to the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs for a permit under section 42 of the Wildlife Acts to cull deer on private land where necessary outside the annual open seasons. This approach can help to prevent serious damage caused by individual deer on specific lands.
The Department routinely carries out localised deer counts on state lands such as in Wicklow and Killarney National Parks.
Where appropriate and necessary, culls are carried out to ensure that deer populations do not reach levels that would have negative ecological consequences.
However, it must be noted that the populations of Red deer in Killarney National Park and surrounding area are of national conservation significance.
The Department commissioned a comprehensive survey and report in the winter of 2016 on the distribution, population density and population structure of Red deer and Sika deer in Killarney National Park.
As a result of the report, a cull of deer in the National Park is underway, to be concluded by the end of March.
Fencing
The NPWS believes fencing the National Park would not be a viable solution for a number of reasons:
The presence of deer is not confined to the national park and so fencing of these properties would serve no practical purpose in terms of wild deer control.The park is over 10,000ha in size, including some rugged terrain. Fencing this area would be an enormous task which is unlikely to result in the desired objective.Sika deer are capable of going under fencing that is eight inches off the ground, while red deer are capable of knocking fences that are preventing them from reaching traditional feeding and shelter grounds.The erection of a fence this size could also impact on the sensitive habitats within the park.There are many deer living outside the park boundaries.–NPWS
Read more
Deer plague affecting farmers in Kerry and Tipperary
Deer plague: stakes and wire torn down
Deer plague: 'Someone will be killed unless something is done' - Coroner
Deer plague: 'They're eating what they like and no-one will take responsibility'
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