FAQs
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions
Do deer transmit diseases?
Yes, deer can pass on disease to other animals & humans.
Deer may often not be affected by diseases but they can carry them, then spread them via their urine, faeces and saliva.
Diseases include:
Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that is transmitted by tick bites. Ticks feeding on infected deer can pass on the infection.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD): A Prion disease that affects the deer population. It can be spread through direct contact with the infected animals or through contact with contaminated, food, water or soil.
Ehrlichiosis: A bacterial infection transmitted by tick bites. Ticks feeding on infected deer can pass on the infection.
Anaplasmosis: A bacterial infection transmitted by tick bites. Ticks feeding on infected deer can pass on the infection.
Tularaemia: A bacterial infection that can be transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals or their carcasses. Deer can be carriers of the bacteria that causes tularaemia.
Tuberculosis TB:
Deer are very susceptible to TB, they can pass it onto cattle with devastating effects on a landowners herd.
Correct management of deer populations through ethical and sustainable methods can help to prevent the spread of disease and minimize the risk of transmission to other animals and humans.
What Laws cover Wildlife?
The Deer Act 1991:
Provides legal protection for wild deer in England and Wales. Setting out the close season during which it is illegal to kill, take, or disturb deer without a valid license. Established a regulatory framework for deer management and deer stalking.
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981:
Designed to protect all wildlife species in the UK, including wild deer. It illegal to intentionally kill, injure, or take deer, or to damage or destroy their breeding or resting places. The act also prohibits the sale of deer meat without a license.
The Forestry Act 1967:
This act covers the protection of trees and woodlands in the UK. It includes provisions to prevent damage to woodland in the UK caused by deer, and sets out the legal requirements for deer management in forests and woodlands.
Which are the most common deer in the UK?
Roe Deer
The population is estimated to be around 500,000, making it the most common native deer species. This population has steadily increased, with most deer found in Scotland (around 350,000) and England (around 150,000). They are widespread across Great Britain but are absent from Northern Ireland
When fully grown they weigh between 10 to 25kg. By comparison, an average adult man in Britain is 1.77m high and weighs 79kg.
Male roe are called bucks, females are does and the young kids.
Roe vary in coat colour throughout the year, being most distinguishable in the summer when their coats are bright rusty red. In winter, their coats turn a dull, slate grey colour.
Roe deer have large black eyes, noses, and mouths surrounded by white/pale areas. They have large ears.
Roe are dainty creatures and leave small hoof prints (slots) about 4cm long in soft ground. They use well-worn paths across their range along, which you may find faeces either scattered or in small groups.
Other characteristic signs are frayed areas of small trees where they rub on over-hanging branches and disturbed areas of soft ground and vegetation which deer have scraped and dug with their hooves. Frequently they also urinate to mark their territory.
Why is it important to control Grey Squirrel populations?
Cute looking ‘flying rats’ who love nuts, seeds, and fruits.
They can very quickly ‘clean up’ in garden or orchard if left alone.
Grey Squirrels also gnaw on wood, wires, and other materials, causing damage to buildings and structures
Controlling grey squirrel populations in England is important to protect the native red squirrel, as greys outcompete and kill them with the squirrel pox virus, and to prevent damage to woodlands, where they strip bark, leading to tree death and economic loss. Invasive grey squirrels have caused the red squirrel population to become fragmented, with only isolated pockets remaining in England, such as on the Isle of Wight and in the north.
Impact on red squirrels
Competition:
Grey squirrels outcompete native red squirrels for food and habitat.
Disease:
Grey squirrels carry squirrel pox virus, which is often fatal to red squirrels, while greys are mostly immune. An outbreak can wipe out a local red squirrel population.
Impact on woodlands and forestry
Tree damage:
Grey squirrels cause damage by stripping the bark off trees to get at the sap underneath, which can kill the tree or lead to timber deformation and decay.
Economic loss:
This damage can reduce the value of timber, making it a disincentive for landowners to plant new trees for wood production.
Habitat impact:
Damage can also affect the structure and composition of high canopies in woodlands, and potentially impact other wildlife, such as songbirds.
Why control is necessary
Protecting the red squirrel:
Control efforts aim to protect remaining red squirrel populations and allow them to grow and spread into new areas.
Preventing further decline:
Without management, red squirrel populations are at risk of further decline and local extinction in areas where grey squirrels have established themselves.
Mitigating economic and environmental damage: Controlling greys helps protect woodlands from the damage they cause, which has a significant economic cost and can negatively impact biodiversity.
Why do I need to protect against rats?
Controlling rats is crucial due to their ability to transmit serious diseases, contaminate food, and cause property damage by gnawing on structures and electrical wiring. They also pose a risk to pets, can trigger allergies, and cause significant stress and fear.
Health risks
Disease transmission: Rats carry diseases such as Leptospirosis (Weil’s disease), Salmonella, E. coli, and rat-bite fever, which they spread to humans and pets through contact with their urine, faeces, or saliva.
Contamination: They contaminate food, water, and surfaces, leading to food poisoning and other illnesses.
Allergies: Rat droppings, urine, and fur can trigger allergic reactions in some individuals.
Property damage
Structural damage: Rats gnaw on a variety of materials to keep their teeth filed down, including wood, plastic, insulation, and pipes, which can weaken structures.
Fire hazard: They can chew through electrical wiring, creating a significant risk of electrical fires.
Food and resource contamination
Food spoilage: Rats contaminate and consume food in homes, kitchens, and food storage facilities, leading to significant loss.
Competition for food: They will eat food intended for pets, livestock, and even wild birds.
Other reasons for control
Pest infestations: Rats can attract other pests like fleas, ticks, and lice.
Psychological impact: The presence of rats can cause significant stress, anxiety, and fear for residents and employees.
Odor: An infestation can lead to a strong, unpleasant odor.
Why do I need to control rabbits on my land?
Reasons to control rabbits include protecting agricultural crops and forestry, preventing ecological damage from overgrazing and habitat destruction, and avoiding property damage from burrowing. Rabbit control is also necessary to prevent injury to people and livestock, mitigate the risk of road accidents, and manage the spread of diseases that rabbits can carry.
Agricultural and economic reasons
Crop and yield damage: Rabbits eat and trample crops, leading to significant financial losses for the agricultural industry and damaging private gardens.
Forestry damage: They can strip bark from trees and eat saplings, which harms young trees and can damage commercial forestry operations.
Damage to amenity areas: They damage high-quality grasslands like golf courses through grazing and burrowing.
Ecological reasons
Habitat destruction: Overgrazing by rabbits can destroy native vegetation, leading to soil erosion and loss of habitat for other species.
Biodiversity loss:
They can outcompete native plants, affecting plant biodiversity and the species that depend on those plants.
Impact on other wildlife:
By destroying habitats, rabbits can negatively impact insects and small mammals, which in turn affects birds of prey that rely on hunting grounds.
Safety and infrastructure reasons
Structural damage:
Burrowing can undermine buildings, embankments, and other structures, leading to subsidence.
Injury risk:
Rabbit burrows create tripping hazards in fields and sports grounds, which can lead to injuries for livestock, people, and animals.
Increased fire risk:
Rabbits can chew wires or cause other damage that poses a fire risk, especially near buildings.
Road safety:
The presence of rabbits near roads increases the risk of vehicle collisions.
Health and disease reasons
Disease transmission: Rabbits can carry and transmit diseases like myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease to other animals.
Pest attraction:
Rabbit warrens can attract other pests, such as rats and foxes.
Get in touch if you have further questions
We are happy to help, with individual questions and enquiries
