Feral Deer in Australia – General Information
The Family Cervidae
Deer are mammals from the family Cervidae which compromises 43 different species such as elk, moose and reindeer, among others. Notably, members of the Cervidae family have two large and two small hooves on each foot and produce antlers which are shed and re-grown each year. This is in contrast to species from the the Bovidae family which have horns, a permanent structure. The Bovidae family includes buffalo, sheep, antelope, goats and cattle among others.
Deer Species in Australia:
Deer were first introduced to Australia in the mid-1800s by acclimatisation societies for the purposes of hunting, and to enhance the perceived aesthetics of the local environment. Of the eighteen species that were initially introduced into the wild, six formed viable feral populations in Australia.
Sambar Deer (Cerves unicolor) – SA, NSW and VIC
Red Deer (Cerves elapses) – VIC, WA, NSW and QLD
Rusa Deer (Cervus timorensis) – NSW, QLD and SA, isolated populations found in VIC
Fallow Deer (Dama dama) – QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS and SA
Chital Deer (Axis axis) – QLD, NSW, SA and VIC
Hog Deer (Axis porcinus) – VIC and NSW
Deer farming also contributed to Australia’s wild deer problem which was a popular industry during the 1800s but began to collapse in the 1900s. Throughout the 20th century, deer farms fell into disrepair which resulted in many farmers releasing their stock, or selling their animals to hunting establishments to be released elsewhere for sport. Released deer stock quickly spread, or were purposely translocated to secluded areas such as state forests, national parks and catchment lands for the purposes of hunting. Feral deer acclimatised well to the Australian landscape and are now present in every state and territory where they live in a range of habitats such as temperate forests, arid woodlands, grasslands, tropical savannah, rainforests and even urban suburbs.
Deer can occupy a broad range of climatic zones and large areas of Australia are suitable for deer. Recent studies show that past and present distribution of each species suggest that they don’t yet occupy all suitable habitats and are expected to keep spreading. This is particularly so for Chital deer, Sambar deer and Hog deer. At present, feral deer populations in Australia as estimated to be between one and two million.
Australian Feral Deer Species Origin:
Deer are native to all continents except Australia and Antarctica.
Sambar Deer – India, South China and South-Eastern Asia
Red Deer – Europe, Asia and north-western Africa
Rusa Deer – South-east Asia
Fallow Deer – Europe
Chital Deer – India and Sri-Lanka
Hog Deer – India, South Chine and South-Eastern Asia
Lifespan:
Sambar Deer – 20 to 26 years
Red Deer – 12 to 16 years
Rusa Deer – 15 to 20 years
Fallow Deer – 12 to 16 years
Chital Deer – 14 to 15 years
Hog Deer – 10 to 20 years
Feral Deer in South East Queensland:
In South East Queensland there are currently four species of feral deer, Fallow deer, Chital deer, Rusa deer and Red deer. This being said, Hog deer and Sambar deer are increasingly expanding their range and are expected to be moving North as their populations increase. There is particular concern regarding Samba deer as they are able to interbreed with Rusa deer and produce fertile young.
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