The federal government has released a National Feral Deer Action Plan, and public submissions for the plan are now open. Please use this form to make a submission today.

Everyone loses when feral deer numbers are out of control.

They overgraze and trample native grasslands and ring-bark native shrubs and trees. They cause erosion and degrade water quality by wallowing in wetlands and streams, impacting the homes of native species like the platypus.

There are now millions of deer in eastern Australia causing serious environmental damage and costing farmers hundreds of millions of dollars every year.

As deer spread into urban areas, including around Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane, they are threatening the lives of motorists, destroying gardens, contaminating critical water catchments and damaging the few remaining patches of urban bushland.

But an action plan is a potential game changer in stopping the spread of one of the most concerning emerging pest animals in Australia.

Submissions close on 20 March. By making a submission you can help ensure:

• the plan is adopted by state and federal governments,
• there are dedicated funds from governments to roll out the plan, and
• deer are declared as a priority pest animal in all states and territories.

We’ve provided a submission that you can add to. It is impactful if decision makers hear your views and experience – if feral deer already affect you, please add your story to your submission.

Thank you for taking action to protect our environment and community.  Let’s stop feral deer from being the next rabbit.