Posted 05/27/2011
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is now confirming that axis deer are present on the island of Hawai`i. (We first reported on this in our April 2011 issue.)
DLNR administrator William Aila was quoted as saying that his department is developing a response and removal plan. “We consider this a serious problem with far-reaching economic and environmental impacts to the agriculture industry and native ecosystems on the island,” he was quoted as saying in the news release issued by the department on May 27.
The DLNR asks that any sightings of deer or other unusual new or introduced mammals be reported immediately to the Big Island Invasive Species Committee hotline: 808 961-3299. Reports can also be emailed to BIISC program manager Jan Schipper at gjs@hawaii.edu
(Photo, provided by DLNR, is of axis deer on Maui. No photos are yet available of the deer on the Big Island.)
BIISC is working with trackers and is using game cameras to survey and confirm locations of deer across the island, from Kohala in the north to Ka`u in the south.
The DLNR is working with the state Department of Agriculture, BIISC, federal natural resource management agencies, and ranchers, farmers, private landowners, and concerned citizens, the news release states.
In addition to posing threats to agriculture and public safety, the axis deer are known to have adverse impacts on native ecosystems and threatened and endangered species. The DLNR notes that there are no fences on Hawai`i island tall enough to keep deer out of important conservation areas. “If deer become established, conservation and deer exclosure fences on the island will have to be raised to 8 feet. Retrofitting the more than 300 miles of fences could cost tens of millions of dollars. Farmers, ranchers and public safety officials would also need to install fences to protect crops and to reduce deer-vehicle collisions.”
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