The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) have expressed alarm at the increasing numbers and spread of wild deer across the county. Speaking on this the Mayo Chair of INHFA Seamus Cosgrove stressed the need “for comprehensive action to tackle the issue.”
This action Cosgrove continued “will need to include critical stakeholders such as the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM) and Forestry Companies (including Coillte) in a planned cull of the deer population.”
“While a small number of people may have an issue with the idea of such a cull we must recognise that there is a pressing danger around animal and public health and especially in relation to road safety” added Cosgrove.
While the expanding deer population is a major issue across north Mayo, we are, Cosgrove stated “getting reports of deer sightings across all of the county and while increasing forestry cover has added to this, we are also seeing issues where forestry is felled displacing existing deer populations.”
While deer hunting licences have been issued over recent years there is, Cosgrove added “a need for a more coordinated approach to deliver the outcomes necessary.”
Nationally we have the “the Irish Deer Strategy Group who were established to address this growing problem. This group has made a number of recommendations including the extension of the hunting seasons and as we look to address this problem in Mayo, it is critical that we work with this group and their Chair Teddy Cashman who can help in developing the co-ordinated approach needed.”