Driver Chris Per captured the deer’s daring sprint while traveling down Ginnindara Drive in the nation’s capital yesterday, successfully avoiding a collision with the animal.
Feral deer are present in every Australian state and territory, with the Invasive Species Council cautioning that the rapidly increasing population could pose a significant threat to residents.
Chief executive Jack Gough has called on the NSW government to take action to cull the wild deer population before there is a major accident.
“The ACT government has been very proactive in managing feral deer, particularly by conducting thermal-assisted aerial culls, but the pressure of the expanding population means they are increasingly encroaching on urban areas,” Gough stated.
“Feral deer are trashing, trampling and polluting our forests and rivers and are an increasing threat to motorists and agriculture.
“We need ongoing, scaled-up, professional control efforts to protect Canberra and our other capital cities.”
Gough said the growing Canberra deer population required “ongoing control programs” but claimed the animals are crossing the border from NSW into the Australian Capital Territory.
Deer can do critical damage to cars in the same way large kangaroos can, he added.
“Unfortunately, even if the numbers get down to zero, they will keep crossing the border because NSW is doing such a poor job of managing feral deer,” Gough said.
“People know how much damage 40-60kg kangaroos can cause to their car but don’t always realise just how big and heavy a deer can be.
“Sambar deer, for example, can be 250-300kg.”
According to the Invasive Species Council, the level of feral deer in Australia has doubled since 2002, reaching an estimated 2 million in 2022.
The council said uncontrolled feral deer populations can grow by up to 50 per cent every year.
