Deer Oh Deer!

Experts (including Dr Paul Dolman of East Anglia University) have suggested (on the basis of studies) that there needs to be a cull of 50-60% of the deer currently roaming the UK (meaning that about 1 million animals would be shot p.a.)(http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/mar/07/deer-culling-massive-scale-expert?INTCMP=SRCH). This suggestion has resulted in complaints from game keepers that their livelihoods would be put at risk. This is a complex issue. A number of the species on the loose in our woods and gardens are exotic escapees (like Muntjac deer) and 'wild' deer, until recently, were only encouraged for hunting by the aristocracy. In England, Scotland and Wales deer have no real natural predators to keep numbers in check (wolves disappeared some time ago and, in spite of suggestions that they should be 'reintroduced', there seems to be little prospect of this happening). The deer, in their grazing habit, certainly have a powerful impact on vegetation, preventing the formation of mature forests in some locations. I am less worried about their impact on gardens but they are reportedly increasingly finding their way into town and city centres. Deer are also involved in a relatively large number of collisions with cars, resulting in around 450 injuries or even  deaths of drivers and passengers p.a. These mammals are also reservoirs of some nasty infections, such as Lyme's disease, passed on by ticks to humans. It is, however, nice to be able to glimpse these elegant beasts. It seems to be true, however, that the UK is over-populated by deer and that some control over numbers is needed. Whether this is best achieved by a mass shoot is somewhat debatable. I am not sure what the gamekeepers are really complaining about. The deer in their locations are not really under their direct control anyhow.