A Year in the Life of Sika, part 4 – a sika storm is brewing

Описание: Professional deer manager Niall Rowantree reckons a sika storm is brewing, and sika will replace red deer as the dominant species in Scotland. It’s partly because the drive for re-forestation is creating the perfect habitat for these secretive deer, and partly that stalkers tend to go after the easier reds. In this last episode of our series ‘A Year in the Life of Sika’, Niall turns to fellow deer professionals to test his ideas, hearing from Professor Rory Putman and specialist drone operator Ben Harrower from BH Wildlife Consultancy.
To watch the full series, plus podcasts and more, go to https://FieldsportsChannel.tv/yearint...
Find BH Wildlife Consultancy at https://www.bhwildlifeconsultancy.com/
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Questions to NatureScot, and its replies:
1. ⁠What does NatureScot estimate the size of the sika deer population to be in Scotland?
There is no definitive figure, however the most recent estimates suggest that there are over 45,000 sika deer in Scotland.
2. ⁠Does NatureScot believe sika densities in Scotland are a cause for concern?
Yes. NatureScot’s policy is to significantly reduce the number of sika, restrict their further spread and prevent establishment of new populations in the wild. As an example, we are currently running a pilot scheme on the south-eastern side of Loch Ness in the Highlands where the focus is on incentivising control of invasive non-native sika deer in important native woodlands as well as commercial forestry.
3. ⁠Your predecessor the Deer Commission for Scotland had previously imposed a section 7 predominantly for sika, why has NatureScot not done likewise?
DCS did use Section 7 management agreements in the Peebles area between 1998 and 2003. This was aimed at promoting greater collaboration across multiple land holdings to tackle damage to public interests and increase sika culls within the upper Tweed catchment. More recently, focus has been on upland red deer populations and using regulatory tools where appropriate to formalise deer management to achieve population and habitat impact targets. The current structure of forestry across Scotland and further woodland expansion now brings to the fore the importance of effective management of all woodland species including red, roe and fallow and sika at a national scale. Against this changing picture, NatureScot will continue to keep under review its full suite of current regulatory powers that could be used to deliver targeted management.
4. ⁠Does NatureScot have the resources to enforce a Section 8 Control Scheme if a final backstop was required?
Yes, we prioritise resources on a case-by-case basis and have the capacity to enforce a section 8 control scheme in the event that a section 7 control agreement were to fail and progression to a section 8 was required.
5. Is NatureScot concerned the health of the native red deer population may be jeopardised because they are “easy” to count and kill, creating a vacuum for the highly adaptable invasive sika deer to step into?
Sika are adaptive and their range is expanding; they can also hybridise with red deer. This is not a deer health, or welfare issue as such. We are making more use of drones to count deer in woodland (sika and red). This will help to address our historic emphasis on open range counting by helicopter.

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