Unfortunately, humans have removed all the natural apex predators of deer including beers and wolves. As a result, each year the deer populations increase in size putting increasingly more pressure on the local environment. Fallow deer are particular destructive as they move through the landscape as a herd intensively grazing young trees, natural regeneration and removing much of the natural habitat of species such a native dormice and nightingales. The increasing populations also contribute to an increasing number of road traffic accidents, carry diseases such as blue tongue and tuberculosis but also run the risk of starvation by over grazing the landscape. Managing deer populations is mandated by Natural England, the government’s advisory arm responsible for conserving, enhancing and managing the natural environment.
The area the deer herds cover includes several Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) where we have a legal obligation to actively manage the land in a way that improves their condition. If the population of deer is not controlled, then they cause significant damage to young tree saplings and wildflowers through uncontrolled browsing and to the status of these SSSIs. Deer have been culled across the South Downs for the many decades, however the population has continued to grow significantly, particularly during the Covid pandemic, placing increased pressure on the countryside.