Red deer cull.

Part three.

Keeping deer numbers low on private estates is unusual as the land owners normally want high numbers of red deer for hunting. But the land on these estates is grazed like sheep by the deer. After there has been a cull on a private estate its completely transformed, it becomes a beautiful wild blossoming habitat full of heather and young trees. These young trees will grow into the caledonian forest of the future. Its a difficult decision to make for the land owner, but in the long term these habitats might become home to some of Scotland's most spectacular species. For the landscape as a whole, the highest numbered animal the red deer do need to be culled. This is for the balance of the eco-system and to benefit the red deer, even though it is a very difficult decision. Man has manipulated the landscape for so long that conservation issues like this one are hard, emotionally as a human it is hard to watch a cull but you must understand that its about a fine balance. Could indigenous predators be re-introduced? I think yes as long as it is correctly monitored, but those decisions are not for me to make. Red deer also bring lots of money into the highlands, so there is a lot of conflict between land owners. Let me know what you think.

Red deer cull.

Part two.

Red deer's are monitored across the highlands by Scottish natural heritage. Red deer are normally in herds of between forty and sixty. This is then looked at to see what effect the deer have on the landscape. Because of these herds, the treeless landscapes are under stress as a result. On the lower slopes of the highlands, their are dying remnants of the old caledonian forest. For many years , the older trees have not been able to establish a younger crop below them. This is because the young pine sapling are being eaten by the red deer, they are a great food source for the red deer. Some of the highland estates have put in a management programme to protect the saplings, reducing the impact the red deer has on the saplings. In some areas, woodland is much more dense, there are so many more trees. Most importantly there is clear evidence of the young trees coming up through the vegetation. From a great height its easy to see that high numbers of red deer result in grazed and barren moors. Where there are low numbers of deer, rare caledonian pines are making a come back.