Wild deer have been coming down the hills near Roberts Avenue and onto peoples properties. Photo / Lewis Gardner
Wild deer have been coming down the hills near Roberts Avenue and onto peoples properties. Photo / Lewis Gardner
Wild fallow deer have been caught destroying gardens in Aramoho, and some residents have had enough.
Wigs Arathoon said the deer had been coming down the hills near Roberts Avenue and Patterson Str for a long time but recently the problem had become far worse.
"Last week they trampledall over [my garden and nursery] and ate hundreds of dollars worth of plants," she said.
The deer were able to jump her fence and help themselves to whatever they please, she said.
"They've been coming for a long time, way before lockdown - and saying it will go away when people are more active I don't think is true, because we've been getting more and more of them."
And the same thing is happening to a number of her neighbours as the deer jump the fence and eat their roses and citrus trees.
Resident Rob Butcher said the deer were very susceptible to getting caught in the wire as they attempted to jump the fence and he had occasionally found some who had died from becoming stuck on the wire.
Butcher said he did not have a problem with the deer but a lot of people contacted him wanting to come on to his property to shoot them and it was not appropriate in a residential area.
A Whanganui District Council spokesperson said they did not have the authority to deal with wild animals on private property.
They said an animal management officer had been in contact with one property owner and suggested possible solutions to keep deer out of their property, including deer-proof fencing, deterrents such as a dog and investigating deer repellent products.
It appears they are wild fallow deer that have been jumping fences and eating peoples plants. Photo / File
Horizons Regional Council environmental manager Rod Smillie said Horizons was also unable to take action against feral deer on people's properties.
"Horizons manages pests under the authority of the Regional Pest Management Plan 2017-37 (RPMP). Feral deer were not supported by the Horizons' community for ratepayer-funded control when the draft RPMP was notified for public feedback. As such, the responsibility falls to the landowner."
He said feral deer were the responsibility of the Department of Conservation under the Wild Animal Control Act 1977 and were the property of the Crown until lawfully taken or held.
"The Crown has no liability for the damage the feral animals may cause."
He said Horizons would advise property owners having issues with the deer to upgrade their boundary fences to 1.8m high to exclude the deer.
