13/05/2024
URGENT: Help Save Bambi!
Parks Victoria is planning to shoot deer, in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, in the Dandenong Ranges Park.
Sign near top of 1000 Steps, says going to shoot Deer.
Monday 13 May 2024 to Friday 17 May 2024
What can you do to save Bambi!
I have been emailing MPs with the following message:
Could you help save the deer in Dandenong Ranges Park?
Parks Victoria is planning to shoot deer, in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, in the Dandenong Ranges Park.
Sign near top of 1000 Steps, says going to shoot Deer.
13 May 2024 to 17 May 2024
6 pm to 6 am
131963
[email protected]
Some local people told me this has been done before.
Which means Parks Victoria, really should make a plan to use humane methods, to keep the Deer population at a beneficial level.
BRIEFLY
I think this shooting of deer should be cancelled, and deer numbers should be managed humanely, because:
1: The deer are beneficial in reducing fire hazards.
2: Wildlife numbers, wallabies, echidnas, birds, have not been affected by the deer.
3: The deer eat w**ds such as ivy.
4: Safety of people in adjoining properties.
5: Safety of people walking at night, who do not see the signs.
6: Parks Victoria should instigate a long-term plan, to keep the deer population at a beneficial level, humanely.
MORE DETAIL
1: The deer are beneficial in reducing fire hazards.
1n 1997, 3 people died and 41 houses burned down, because of fires that spread from this park.
Native animals are also killed, maimed, and made homeless, in these fires.
Because of the deer, the long dry grass that adjoined private properties, is now shorter and greener.
The wallabies, and other native animals, were never able to do this.
Burn-offs, pollute the atmosphere; increase Green House Gases; leave bare ground that can be eroded by wind and rain as well as opened to w**d invasion; and, cost taxpayers’ money.
Some parks, especially in the US, pay to use goats to reduce fire-hazards.
Here, the deer are doing it, for free.
2: The deer eat w**ds such as ivy.
Some goat herders say, introduced animals prefer to eat the introduced plants over native plants that native animals eat.
The deer do less destruction to trees than wallabies.
Wallabies with their hands, pull down, defoliate, and break branches.
Whereas, deer can only put up their heads and browse.
3: Wildlife numbers, wallabies, echidnas, birds, have not been affected by the deer.
I see just as many wallabies, echidnas, birds, and other native animals, now as I ever did.
4: Safety of people in adjoining properties.
This is a bushland residential area.
Many houses, on large lots without fences, adjoin the park.
Shooters could stray into people’s backyards.
Stray shots could hit people.
No shooter is 100% accurate.
5: Safety of people walking at night, who do not see the signs.
I often see people walking at night.
Sometimes, because their walk took longer than expected.
6: Parks Victoria should instigate a long-term plan, to keep the deer population at a beneficial level, humanely.
Parks Victoria and CSIRO could also do more research into cheap, effective, easily administered, contraceptives.
