Ashdown Forest
|
Deer
Ashdown Forest was first enclosed as a
royal hunting park in the thirteenth century. The “pale”
fence enclosed an area of over 5000 hectares within which red and
fallow deer were hunted. Over the centuries, the red deer have
disappeared and the population of fallow deer has fluctuated between
none at the end of the 17th century, when the pale was no longer
maintained, to the very high numbers we see today. Deer are no longer
the property of the Crown but are wild animals, without ownership. If
they are on your land, they are your responsibility.
Four species of deer are found on the Forest today: Fallow Deer
Fallow are by far the most common species seen in the south-east of
England. It is difficult to give any accurate estimate of the Forest
population size because the animals range freely across the countryside
and even into the towns and villages. The numbers have increased
dramatically over the last three decades for a number of reasons: mild
winters not only allow more deer to survive but also leave them in
better condition for fawning in the spring; culling has declined
because the price of venison has fallen, possibly due to deer farming;
the decline in agriculture means that more land-owners are prepared to
see large herds of deer grazing where previously they would have been
competing with sheep or cattle. Fallow is the deer species most frequently hit by vehicles on local roads.
 Fallow bucks showing colour variation - black to menil (pale) Roe Deer
Roe deer are the only native deer on the Forest. They are strongly
territorial and so can regularly be seen in the same areas. The Forest
population increased after the 1987 storm which re-structured a lot of
woodland, creating grassy glades and open rides. They are more commonly
found on the edge of agricultural land. Roe deer live in small family
groups of two or three animals but they are very shy and difficult to
see. There are probably less than two dozen family groups on the Forest.
 A Roe buck on the left and a Roe doe with grown kid on the right Sika Deer
Sika were introduced from (probably) Japan. They are more similar to
red deer than fallow, despite their appearance, and there are concerns
about hybridisation where the two species occur together. On the
Forest, sika occur mainly near to Forest Row, where an ornamental herd
escaped over twenty years ago. The animals that exist today cannot be
the same ones that escaped originally but the herd has not increased to
more than twenty animals nor has it spread very far. Sika are
superficially similar to fallow and often mistaken for them: sika
antlers are not palmate but pointed, stags have a pronounced mane and
they have pale scent glands on the hind legs.
Muntjac Deer
These are small deer and extremely difficult to see. On the Forest,
their numbers are still very low with no more than a dozen animals
being reported. They are, however, capable of rapid population growth:
under ideal conditions they can produce twins at eight month intervals.
Where populations are high, there can be considerable damage to
woodland flora.
Deer and Plants A list of plants not liked by deer can be found here. Please let us know if you find that deer
DO eat these plants or come accross others they do not like.
Deer and Traffic
With increasing numbers of deer, conflicts inevitably occur.
Nationally, there are estimated to be 50,000 traffic accidents per year
involving deer, including human fatalities. Fallow is the deer species most frequently hit by vehicles on local roads.
It is possible to minimise the chance of hitting a deer by following these rules:
1. Deer move between feeding and resting grounds at dawn and dusk: takeparticular care at these times. 2. There are peaks in deer traffic accidents during the rut in the autumn and after fawning in the spring; again, take particular care during these periods. 3. Deer usually travel in small groups; if one crosses the road in front of you, look out for the rest following. 4. Where woodland or scrub comes right to the road verge, take special care - deer may step straight onto the carriageway. 5. At night, animal eyes reflect headlights - slow down if you see them on the verge. 6.Inevitably, traffic speed is the main factor governing the number and severity of animal traffic accidents - drive across the Forest as slowly as practical.
If you are unlucky enough to hit a deer within the boundaries of the
Forest, ring the Rangers on 01342 823583. The Rangers have considerable
experience of dealing with injured deer and will give the animal every
chance to recover. However, deer will rarely survive a heavy impact, in
which case the Rangers are trained to put the animal down humanely. If
you are outside the area, ring the police.
 A car written-off after hitting a deer. The deer, needless to say, did not survive. You are Here
Home -
Wildlife -
Deer
|
Find out about
» Ashdown Area Deer Group » Deer On Our Roads - a report from The Deer Initiative |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||