Stag don’t: Britain’s deer problem is out of control

Britain’s annual wildlife spectacular is just warming up. From the Highlands to the New Forest, the raucous bellowing of amorous stags fills the air. Stags trek up to 50 miles to find herds of hinds to mate with – fighting off other males before they can get down to business. 

Granted, it’s hardly the migration of millions of wildebeest across the Serengeti, but deer rutting season is a feast for both eye and ears. Yet this annual event on any wildlife watcher’s calendar comes with a darker environmental cause for concern. 

The truth is that we have too many deer in Britain. The current population of two million – the largest for a millennium – is causing millions of pounds of damage to our countryside, bird habitats, farmland and carefully cultivated flower beds of private gardens. 

Our six resident species of deer – four of which have been introduced – are breeding at an alarming rate and there are no natural predators to keep the population down.