Dr Wiebkin has been appointed as Australia’s first National Deer Management Coordinator, with $550,000 to be funded during the next two years to support the role.
Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said the coordinator would engage farmers, natural resource managers and communities to increase their awareness, participation and motivation to control feral deer.
“Feral deer damage Australia’s natural environment and agricultural businesses by trampling plants, grazing and ring-barking young trees, fouling waterholes, causing soil erosion and spreading weeds as well as potentially, transmitting livestock diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD),” Mr Littleproud said.
“FMD is a highly contagious animal disease that would have severe consequences were it to be introduced into Australia.
“Australia estimates that a small FMD outbreak, controlled in three months, could cost around $7.1 billion, while a large 12-month outbreak would cost $16 billion.”
Dr Wiebkin’s role will expand on a model employed by South Australia to facilitate more coordinated control of feral deer and establish links between farmers, commercial harvesters and processors.
“Other national coordinator roles, such as the National Wild Dog Management Coordinator and the National Feral Pig Management Coordinator, are proving very successful, and I know we will see the same successes with this position,” Mr Littleproud said.
For more information, visit: invasives.com.au/research/national-deer-management-coordinator
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