Community-led deer monitoring via DeerScan

Wild deer are now listed as a high priority pest animal in many jurisdictions across Australia and more stories are emerging of landholders being increasingly impacted by deer, while members of the public are very concerned about deer damage in public land.

Peter West, National Coordinator of FeralScan and Invasive Species Officer with the NSW Department of Primary Industries, said the number of reports coming through DeerScan in recent months has helped to highlight problem areas and enabled us to develop detailed knowledge of where and how deer are using the landscape.

“This information is now allowing land managers and governments to better target management strategies to reduce deer impacts to farms and the environment,” Mr West said.

However, Mr West also reiterated that all data collected through DeerScan is managed securely and exact locations of deer sightings are not made publicly available.

Individuals and landowners can record sightings into DeerScan. To set up your community group within the program, visit the website or email feralscan@feralscan.org.au for support.

To report deer sighting, their impacts and management, simply visit www.deerscan.org.au or download the free FeralScan App from Apple and Google Play.

Quick facts:

FeralScan now has more than 22,000 users and 140,000 pest animal records.
In its first 6 months DeerScan has had more than 1,700 records uploaded.
There are 379 groups registered within FeralScan consisting of members working together to share monitoring data and work together to manage pest species.
All deer information is managed discretely and exact locations of deer sightings are not made available to the public.
People who enter pest animal data, can elect to share their records with the public or keep them private.
Anyone can report sightings of pest animals into FeralScan by simply visiting www.feralscan.org.au