Wild deer set to wreak havoc in UK woodlands as venison demand plunges. Unmanaged animals from Britain’s largest herds for 1,000 years are no longer needed with restaurants in lockdown.
Sun 10 Jan 2021 09.15 GMT
Unmanaged wild deer herds could soon pose a threat to woodlands and important wildlife habitats in Britain because the commercial market for venison has collapsed during the pandemic.
Many in the game industry as well as conservationists fear too few deer are being culled to keep the estimated two-million-strong wild herd, the largest for 1,000 years, at a sustainable size.
One of the country’s most prominent game chefs, Mike Robinson, who runs three restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Harwood Arms in Fulham, said deer had already been through two breeding cycles since the first national lockdown in March, with numbers set to grow rapidly. “People are not shooting deer because they can’t sell them to restaurants at the moment,” he said. “Perhaps 20% of the normal cull is being done … we are at the beginning of a very large hike in the deer population.” Guardian.
