Wildlife fear over red deer

RED deer numbers are rising at such a rate that other native wildlife are being put at risk, according to a report out today.

The red deer’s lack of a natural predator and recent mild winters have seen the population grow to 400,000, to the delight of the local tourist industry, Highlands visitors and shooting parties.

But the expansion is creating tensions between deer herd managers, who want a plentiful supply for the "guns", and conservationists, who complain that over-grazing is blocking the regeneration of woodlands, which are important habitats for other species, and preventing native plants’ recovery.

The problem is now so acute that the wildlife conservation agency, Scottish Natural Heritage, is producing a list of protected areas where deer damage is likely to stop it from meeting Government targets for the improvement of nature reserves.