South Australian Feral Deer Eradication Program
Landholders are responsible for culling feral deer on their properties under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019.
South Australia is undertaking an eradication program to assist landholders and to eliminate the impacts feral deer have on primary industries, the environment and public safety.
The program is guided by the Strategic Plan for the South Australian Feral Deer Eradication Program 2022–2032 ().
The Strategic Plan has been endorsed by the chairs of the regional landscape boards that are affected by feral deer, as well as the Chief Executives of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions, the Department for Environment and Water, Forestry SA and SA Water. The plan outlines the strategic goals and actions required to achieve eradication of feral deer over the next 10 years.
There are about 40,000 feral deer in South Australia, with populations abundant in:
To eradicate feral deer by 2032, at least 34% of the population of fallow deer must be culled each year to avoid population increase.
Learn more in the Feral Deer Economic Analysis (PDF 1.3 MB () prepared by BDO Econsearch.
Detecting feral deer
The program uses military-grade thermal imaging to cull feral deer in paddocks and in densely vegetated environments. This equipment takes advantage of the heat signature of feral deer to detect them.
See the thermal imagery in action:
Program standards
The program operates under the Code of Practice (COP) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
These revised national standards were informed by research on the use of thermal imaging equipment and shotguns to cull deer:
- Cost-effective management of wild deer – Centre for Invasive Species Solutions
- Aerial culling feral fallow deer with shotguns – Flinders University ().
Partnerships
The program is implemented in partnership with:
- the Australian Government
- regional landscape boards
- the Department for Environment and Water
- primary production industries.
Contact
Biosecurity SA – Invasive Species Unit
Phone: (08) 8429 0823
Email: PIRSA.InvasiveSpecies@sa.gov.au
