South Australian Feral Deer Eradication Program

Landholders are responsible for culling feral deer on their properties under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019.

South Australia created the eradication program to help landholders with this responsibility and lessen the impact feral deer have on primary industries, the environment, and public safety.

The Strategic Plan for the South Australian Feral Deer Eradication Program 2022–2032 ( PDF 2.4 MB ) guides the eradication program. The 10-year plan outlines the strategic goals and actions required to achieve eradication of feral deer.

There were an estimated 40,000 feral deer in South Australia in 2022. Since then, the eradication program has removed over 26,000 feral deer across the state, with the largest populations remaining in the:

• Limestone Coast Landscape Board region
• Hills and Fleurieu Landscape Board region.

Controlling feral deer in the Greater Adelaide Peri-Urban Zone is more difficult and requires specialised tools and methods. Targeted efforts are managed through the Greater Adelaide Peri-Urban Feral Deer Eradication Plan.

Learn more about the impacts of feral deer in South Australia in the Feral Deer Economic Analysis prepared by BDO Econsearch ( PDF 1.3 MB ).

The eradication program aligns with the National Feral Deer Action Plan, which provides strategic guidance for managing feral deer populations across Australia.

Detecting feral deer

The program uses military-grade thermal imaging to detect and cull feral deer in paddocks and densely vegetated environments using their heat signatures. Research indicates thermal technology improves the efficiency and humaneness of aerial culling operations.

Program standards

The program operates under the Code of Practice (COP) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for humane control of feral deer.

These revised national standards were informed by research on the use of thermal imaging equipment and shotguns to cull feral deer.

For more information, see:

• Cost-effective management of wild deer (Centre for Invasive Species Solutions)
• Aerial culling feral fallow deer with shotguns (NeoBiota)

Partnerships

The Feral Deer Eradication Program works in partnership with:

• Chief Executives of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions
• the Department for Environment and Water
• primary production industries
• the Australian Government
• regional landscape boards
• Forestry SA
• SA Water.

Contact

Biosecurity SA – Invasive Species Unit
Phone: (08) 8429 0823
Email: PIRSA.InvasiveSpecies@sa.gov.au