western australia

introduced pests

Deer not welcome

@JudyEv (359470)

Rockingham, Australia

July 24, 2025 7:29pm CST

On the news today I learnt that West Australia will allow aerial culling of deer in those areas where the animals are rapidly growing in numbers and becoming a problem to farmers. Deer are far more prevalent in the eastern states and farmers and graziers are keen to keep their numbers down here. There are three species in our state – fallow, red and rusa. They are not native to our country but became feral through escaping from deer farms or by deliberate release by hunters. They are now a declared pest. Just another problem for our farmers to deal with. I lost a lot of my wildlife photos so I only have this one of heads of a deer and a boar which were in a restaurant in France.

22 people like this

23 responses

@AmbiePam (100835)

• United States

25 Jul

It sounds terrible, doesn’t it. Even if we understand why.

5 people like this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

25 Jul

Yes, it's a shame they have to do this but it's totally necessary.

2 people like this

@jstory07 (145173)

• Roseburg, Oregon

25 Jul

Poor farmers can they shoot the deer and eat the meat?

4 people like this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

25 Jul

They can but venison isn't very popular here. And I think they'd want to shoot more than they could eat if they wanted to make a difference to the numbers.

1 person likes this

@abhi_bangal (7486)

• Ahmednagar, India

4h

@jstory07, If one of my friends knew that farmers can shoot and eat a deer, he would go crazy. Hahaha... because he has eaten that meet in the past and I don't think he will refuse if he gets a chance again

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

2h

@abhi_bangal Some here eat venison but it's not regularly available in the butchers or at restaurants. I couldn't say it is popular.

@DaddyEvil (154693)

• United States

25 Jul

I think every country now has some kind of feral pest that was released on purpose or by escaping from food farms... It's really sad that people release anything in a place it isn't native to.

3 people like this

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@DaddyEvil (154693)

• United States

23h

@JudyEv I've watched videos about the cane toad releases in Australia. People really weren't thinking when they did that.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

25 Jul

The outcome can be devastating sometimes. Cane toads were one of the latest of the introduced pests.

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@rakski (144459)

• Philippines

25 Jul

oh wow, deer as a pest? that doesn't sound nice

3 people like this

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@rakski (144459)

• Philippines

21h

@JudyEv oh okay that is why they are considered as pest

2 people like this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

21h

@rakski Yes. They also trample crops and destroy fencing.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

25 Jul

They compete with domestic livestock for available food and water.

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@thislittlepennyearns (65031)

• Defuniak Springs, Florida

25 Jul

I do enjoy the guitar hanging from the deer. That's cute.

3 people like this

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@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

7h

@thislittlepennyearns It was a memorable day.

@thislittlepennyearns (65031)

• Defuniak Springs, Florida

19h

@JudyEv They wanted to make sure you had a good meal lol

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@Mshafeeq (2360)

• Kuwait, Kuwait

25 Jul

Killing animals isn't prohibited there? By growing deers in numbers certainly farmers will face problems best they can do is instead of hunting them down just capture them and live it in zoo or far away in jungle.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

25 Jul

Some farmers farm deer but the ones that run wild do a lot of damage.

2 people like this

@Mshafeeq (2360)

• Kuwait, Kuwait

9h

@JudyEv Yeah that's true.

1 person likes this

@rsa101 (39370)

• Philippines

25 Jul

That’s really interesting—and a bit sad too. It’s tough when animals like deer, beautiful as they are, end up being labeled pests because of how they impact farming. I can see why farmers are concerned though—too many deer can really throw off the balance. It’s wild to think they became so widespread just from escapes and releases. Sorry to hear you lost your wildlife photos, but that deer and boar display from France sounds like a unique memory in itself!

2 people like this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

25 Jul

Kangaroos are regarded as pests in many areas too and are often shot.

2 people like this

@rsa101 (39370)

• Philippines

25 Jul

@JudyEv It may seem harsh since I know kangaroos are native to your country. Their being there far surpassed the humans there, and they are now considered a pest in their own lands. I could understand invasive species like the deer, but the kangaroos are not...

2 people like this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

22h

@rsa101 Fair enough but if the kangaroos take over we'd all starve - unless we ate kangaroo exclusively I guess.

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@youless (113511)

• Guangzhou, China

25 Jul

I can only say that Australia is a wonderful land that suit many animals to grow. Of course it is my first time to hear that in Australia deer are regarded to pest. I know rabbits are quite a lot in Australia and people think a lot of methods to kill them. I'm not sure whether the quantity is under control today.

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@youless (113511)

• Guangzhou, China

23h

@JudyEv I don't know, as here we think rabbits are cute animals. And I don't even know emus and kangaroos do a lot of damages. I start to think that probably Australia is very good for many animals to live. Perhaps we shall send more pandas there so that they won't go extinct

2 people like this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

22h

@youless It's probably just a little bit too hot for pandas! lol

2 people like this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

25 Jul

The fight against rabbits is ongoing. Emus and kangaroos can do a lot of damage to crops and farmland too.

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@LadyDuck (479905)

• Italy

20h

I understand the need to get rid of them, but I feel so sorry when they have to be killed.

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@LadyDuck (479905)

• Italy

5h

@JudyEv I have seen a horrible video how they shot wild horses in the USA. I feel sad for those animals, even if they are now considered pests.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

2h

@LadyDuck They have tried to do that in the Snowy Mountains and there is a always a public furore when the subject is brought up.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

7h

They're very pretty creatures. It's a sad situation.

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@xFiacre (13982)

• Ireland

25 Jul

@judyev I do hope the deer get eaten. Maybe that’s not an option.

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@xFiacre (13982)

• Ireland

25 Jul

@JudyEv I’d have it for starters and a main course.

a waste of good Bambi. Still, it’ll feed the scavengers.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

21h

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

25 Jul

They probably won't.

Venison isn't incredibly popular here for starters.

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@garymarsh6 (23657)

• United Kingdom

13h

Australia due to its vastness have a lot of problems with wild animals. It is a shame they become such pests,

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@garymarsh6 (23657)

• United Kingdom

3h

@JudyEv Yes rabbits were introduced in the 1800's. A good everlasting supply of rabbit meat but they got out of control. I remember watching a programme when I was a young kid of the horrible culling of rabbits by introducing myxamatosis in Australia.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

7h

Most of the pests have been introduced at one time or another.

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@Traceyjayne (3519)

• United Kingdom

23h

I do understand the reasons but it is such a shame these animals are to be killed when they haven’t done anything wrong. Couldn’t they be moved elsewhere ?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

22h

It would be impossible to round them up and where would they move them to? I know it's sad but something needs to be done.

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

7h

@Traceyjayne I don't think I'll go down that path!

@Traceyjayne (3519)

• United Kingdom

17h

@JudyEv I wonder if the same would be said if it were a case of too many people ….!

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@Deepizzaguy (112304)

• Lake Charles, Louisiana

11h

It is a shame that your area has to deal with a deer population problem.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

7h

True and it's a shame they were ever introduced in the first place.

1 person likes this

@Deepizzaguy (112304)

• Lake Charles, Louisiana

7h

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (195781)

• United States

23h

I hate culling even though I know it's necessary. There was an owl on the west coast of the US that was causing problems for another species of owl. They went out and shot the problem causer. I love owls and thought that was cruel.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

22h

Anything involving killing animals becomes problematic. They're just living their lives as best they can really.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

14m

@LindaOHio The balance gets upset when new species are introduced, especially if conditions suit them.

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@LindaOHio (195781)

• United States

55m

@JudyEv Yes; and if they move out another animal, that's just nature. It is what it is.

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@GardenGerty (164935)

• United States

15h

Maybe also put a hunting bounty on them? Releasing non native species does cause a lot of trouble.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

7h

That's a good idea. I wonder if they've thought of that.

@Jenaisle (15781)

• Philippines

20h

If it had been in the far-flung village where I lived as a child, that wouldn't be a problem because people feast on deer meat.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

7h

I can believe it. People here do eat deer meat but it's not very popular.

1 person likes this

@abhi_bangal (7486)

• Ahmednagar, India

5h

The deer looks beautiful. But it's terrifying to see the boar

Is that a real picture of your house? I mean have you really kept them there?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

2h

Did you read to the end? It was in a restaurant in France.

ultraman cosmos

@id_peace (16114)

• Singapore

21h

If they are hunted, I hope that their meat will be given to those in need.

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ultraman cosmos

@id_peace (16114)

• Singapore

4h

@JudyEv Leaving it to rot is a waste but I guess that since they are on helicopter, it could not be help.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

7h

That would be the ideal but if they are being shot from helicopters then they're probably just left to rot.

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@RasmaSandra (87297)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

13h

Just doesn't seem right but I can understand why,

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

7h

They are very destructive in farming areas especially.

@sarik1 (7664)

•

3h

It is beautiful deer, but it is sad news.about it.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359470)

• Rockingham, Australia

2h

Yes, it is a pity that this is just about the only solution that would work.