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COASTAL CLASSROOM Explore stories, science, values and stewardship from the places we protect.
SAMBAR DEER Not the Deer We Cheer…
Severe browsing & trampling
Sambar deer selectively feed on shrubs, saplings, and ground-layer plants, reducing diversity, hindering regeneration, and altering forest and riparian structure.
Waterway & Wetland Degradation Wallowing and bank trampling destabilise soil, increase sedimentation, and reduce water quality, harming aquatic habitats.
Pressure on threatened flora and ecosystems
Heavy browsing stresses vulnerable species and sensitive communities, including cool temperate rainforests and riparian zones.
Wide spread & fire risk
Deer movement disperses weeds; browsing shifts understorey toward more flammable species, influencing fuel loads and fire behaviour.
Competition with native herbivores
High deer densities out-compete species like wallabies and possums, driving declines in native fauna and ecosystem health.
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